Damaged
by kaoscraze
Summary: Daryl and Carol have been through a lot together in their time on the run with the group. Each has had life altering moments that have changed how they think and feel about each other. Both have something to prove, but can they ever get past the damage that has burdened them for so long?
1. Chapter 1

**Damaged**

**A Caryl Fanfiction**

**A/N: Hello avid TWD fans! It's been quite some time since I tried my hand at writing fan fiction, but I've been super inspired lately, so hopefully this will end up being productive rather than destructive.**

**I guess this whole idea started for me a few weeks ago when I met the man behind the inspiration-Norman Reedus. I had been a fan of Boondock Saints from awhile back, but when he came on Walking Dead, I was super excited, and he's had such an amazing character arc in the last two seasons. I got a chance to meet him in Philly just over a month ago at Wizard Con, and he was such a complete sweetheart. (He smelled like oranges too!) I could get into much more depth about it, but I should really be talking more about my story.**

**I've been studying the show for weeks now, trying to take in every little detail about the characters so that I could really try to get inside their heads. (I think I can honestly now say that I am starting to think like Daryl. Forget WWJD…It's WWDDD) I also did a LOT of studying on the layout of the prison so I could make that whole situation sound as real as possible. That doesn't mean that there won't be things in there that aren't different from the show. There are also many things that do not imitate the novels, so just be forewarned. They are two completely different entities in my opinion. **

**I tried to do every character justice to the best of my ability, but the fun part about writing this way is that I get to make up their backstories. Daryl obviously has no backstory because (and I hope I'm not ruining this for anyone) he's not in the graphic novels. Carol really had no past to speak of other than her abusive husband and being a housewife, so I definitely took some liberties there. I hope I don't offend anyone with the use of language either. Daryl's language can get very colorful at times, and he tends to take the Lord's name in vain a lot, but that's just part of the character. I've rated this as mature for that very reason. There will also be some violence and situations of a sexual nature down the line, but I will point them out as I go along. **

**The story starts six months after the Governor's attack on the prison, so I'm basing my actions upon what has happened up until that point. While I will be mentioning the Governor a lot, I do not have plans to actually have him in the story. This is mainly a Caryl story, with a lot of interaction between them and the other characters. That being said, I hope you enjoy my story, and I LOVE feedback so feel free to send me a line…just try not to be too harsh. We all want to be writers, but there's a fine line between constructive criticism and just being down right mean. **

**Also, I do not own The Walking Dead or anything affiliated with it. All I own is my imagination.**

Ch1.

The jail was full to the brim. Well as far as Daryl was concerned, it was. He hated large crowds of people all gathered together in one space. That's why he never went to any hunting or sporting events before all of this. No amount of _anything_ was gonna get Daryl Dixon in an arena full of hundreds of ignorant morons. They just wanted to prance around acting like they knew shit and had it all together. Daryl knew better. They were all a bunch of douchebags.

He growled angrily at the tent that was currently giving him issues. One of the frames was bent and it wouldn't pop up the way it was supposed to. Who the hell had packed the tents away last time they used them? Probably Glenn. He didn't have any respect for how to handle another man's property. Damn Korean was gonna get an earful later.

"Fuckin' thing…" He muttered under his breath.

It didn't help that the prison sat on a slight incline, even around the perimeter, making setting up the tent in a flat area nearly impossible. That was only adding to his frustrations. He'd probably end up setting it up over a bed of rocks that jabbed into his back all night too. He heard a raspy growl and looked up at a walker who was desperately clawing at the closed gate ten yards away. No way he was getting in, but it was still annoying.

"Shut up dumbass! I'm tryin' to concentrate!"

And why was he even doing this? All because six months before, the Governor went completely fucking psycho and attacked them. In the end he'd managed to kill Merle, Andrea, and all his men, and then proceeded to disappear. They took the rest of the survivors in, but Daryl had had enough. He didn't like enclosed walls much in the first place, but he couldn't stand to be under that roof with a bunch of whining babies anymore. He'd once considered this his home, or at least the closest thing he'd had to one in a long time. When he'd been on the run with Merle, they'd never stayed in one place for too long. Hell, he felt like he'd been on the run his whole life. First from his ever-loving bastard of a father, then from the law, and now from fucking walkers. No wonder he could never get a moments rest.

As he turned to grab for the next rod, he slipped on the terrain and went down at an odd angle on his foot. His ankle turned and he immediately felt searing pain shoot up his leg.

"GGGAAAAAAAHHHHHH DAAAAAAMMMMIIIIIITTT!"

"Having a problem there Daryl?" Rick's voice rung out in the distance as he made his way over to where the partially-erect tent was stationed.

"Naaw," He answered sarcastically; hopping around like a moron. "Just having myself a little fun time with this fuckin' tent."

"What happened?"

"Damn thing's messed up and I just busted my ankle." He exclaimed loudly. "Who the hell put the camping gear away last? Have half a mind to bring em' out here and make 'em fix it."

Rick made a face. "Pretty sure it was Herschel."

Well shit. He wasn't about to make an old crippled man come out and do nothing. So much for that theory.

"Mind if I borrow yours? I won't do nothin' like this to it. If I do, you have full permission to shoot me in the ass with an arrow."

Rick laughed. "Well that's quite an offer. Let me go grab it and I'll help you get it set up."

"Thanks man."

"Why you down here anyway?" Rick inquired. "Someone givin' you a problem?"

Daryl shook his head. "Naw, just too many people crammed in that prison. Figured I could be more help out here guardin' the perimeter, so I just decided to camp out for a while. Keep a better eye out for visitors too."

Rick shook his head in sympathy and turned back towards the building. Daryl had a feeling that he understood his quest for solitude better than anyone else. With Lori gone, his kids to care for, and a large group of people to herd around, he didn't have a moment for himself. If he did go off alone for any amount of time, people started wondering if he was going crazy again. In Daryl's eyes, it was a wonder he hadn't gone crazy from people _worrying_ about whether he was _going _crazy or not.

He didn't envy Rick, but he didn't pity him neither.

_Ain't easy being the leader. Sure glad I ain't one._

"Come on sweetie, settle down…" Carol attempted to soothe a crying Judith as she bounced her up and down while the child howled loudly.

Ever since Judith started getting teeth, the poor thing was constantly miserable. They didn't have ice, let alone much of anything cold for her to munch on to help ease the pain of her tender gums. Carol longed for the days of ice packs and cold teething rings, but then she remembered what she had had to put up with in order to have such simple luxuries. On second thought, she could live without them.

"Shhhh…I know it hurts baby." She kissed Judith's sweet head as big teardrops rolled down her pudgy cheeks. "Unfortunately this is just the start of life's little cruelties."

Carol paced the small cell with the baby, trying to get her to ease up so that others could settle down for the night. It was always worse at night. With twenty five new people in the prison, it was a lot louder than it had been before, but a lot of the elderly people were complaining about not being able to sleep due to the child's cries. It wasn't like she could help it. She had no idea why she was in so much pain all the time. Carol wished she could do a lot of things, including make both parties happy, but it was out of her hands like the rest of the things in the universe.

She had believed in God all her life, even back when her husband had decided to use her as his personal punching bag and look at his own daughter with lustful eyes. Then that same bastard of a husband was killed by walkers and she thought He'd finally answered her prayers, until her daughter was cruelly ripped from this life as well. After everything He had put her through, she wondered if she wasn't starting to lose her faith after all.

Then came Daryl. That baffling, stubborn, and sometimes downright aggravating man. He'd saved her life more times than she could count. She wanted to think that in some small way, she may have saved his as well, but he'd never admit it. They were two people cut from the same cloth. Both were used and abused nearly their whole lives and struggling day by day to make sense of the world they'd been left in. Most people in the camp had been through plenty of horrors themselves, but all she had to do was look at Daryl and she could almost always tell what he was thinking. He was a simple man, and she adored that about him.

"Carol?"

She spun around at the sound of Rick's voice at the opening of the cell. She had been in a daze, and her heart sputtered a little at the noise. It reminded her of when Ed used to come home after getting drunk and yell for her to come upstairs to the bedroom. Her stomach churned.

"Oh Rick. Sorry I didn't see you come up."

"It's all right. I just wanted to tell you that I'll be back in a little while to take Judith. I need to help Daryl put up this tent in the yard and then I'll come get her so you can take a break."

Carol frowned. "What's Daryl doing with a tent in the yard?"

Rick sighed. "He says he wants to stay down there from now on. I think having all these people in close proximity is making him uneasy. He won't _tell_ me that of course…"

"No, he wouldn't." Carol understood. "I'll tell you what. You take Judith and I'll take the tent down and help him set it up. Maybe I can get something out of him."

Rick put the bag down and picked up his infant daughter from her arms. "Thanks. You always get through to him when no one else can."

Carol grabbed the bag and headed for the door. "I know. Damaged men are my specialty."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello there folks! I've decided to put out chapter 2 a little earlier than scheduled. We really haven't gotten into much of a story yet, but there's definitely more to come. I'm feeling super inspired! **

**A HUGE thanks to all the supporters out there. I haven't attempted something this huge in years, so I really appreciate it when someone takes the time to stop and let me know they like my work. As the amazing Sally Field once said, "You like me! You really like me!" **

**Also, for those of you wondering, there is going to be a reason for why Daryl hurt his ankle. I got in a huge argument with a friend of mine who was debating that Daryl Dixon would NEVER just trip and hurt himself, but when I explained my motives, she changed her tune. Hopefully you guys will think it's plausible too, but that's a little further down the road.**

**Okay, now on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing pertaining to The Walking Dead.**

Ch2.

Daryl's ankle was starting to swell, and he grimaced in anger. He couldn't defend anything now. What a fucking waste of time. He'd always assumed they'd have moved on by now, but then people started settling in and they mended the perimeter, and he started to realize that they were planning on sticking around. It made him question whether he wanted to stick around himself much longer. He'd always done better on his own. Maybe he'd been a wild cat in a past life or something. That's how he felt sometimes-always on edge and ready to pounce.

_Life wasn't meant to be lived in a cage surrounded by people gawkin' at ya._

He needed to get his mind off his anger and just figure things out. That's why he'd come out here in the first place, to be where he loved. Out in the open. He'd spent most of his life looking up at the stars. Knew them like the back of his hand. They'd gotten him outta plenty of scrapes in the woods when he was lost and didn't know which way to go. It was where he'd learned to track too. Go for enough days on your own starving of hunger and thirst and you got _real_ good at finding animal tracks that would lead you to your potential next meal. Squirrel meat had saved his scrawny ass more than once.

"I heard you needed a tent."

Daryl looked up, realizing quickly that it wasn't a man's voice. "Where's Rick?"

Carol got to the edge of the slope and dropped the bag next to him. "Sorry, Judith was crying so Rick took over and asked me to bring this down to you. Mind if I sit?"

He shrugged. "Free country."

"It's a beautiful night…" Carol planted herself in the lush grass and looked up. "One thing I don't miss about the city…you could never see the stars."

"I can't stand cities." He groused. "Nature and me always got along better."

"Oh I believe that." She chuckled. "I'm sure you know all the constellations too don't you? The only one I can ever see is the big dipper."

"That's Ursa Major, the great bear." He replied. "Have you ever heard the Iroquois legend about the great bear?"

"No."

Daryl leaned back. "See, the bear represents the four corners of the bowl, and the three stars that make up the handle were for three men who were huntin' her. They say that this bear woke up from sleepin' all winter and she went out to gather some food. What she didn't know was that she was bein' tracked by three warriors who followed her all through the spring and summer until finally in late autumn they caught up to her. So she goes up on her hind legs to defend herself, but before she can attack, one shoots her with his arrow and she falls back dead. The blood from the wound fell onto the leaves and stained 'em red, and they say that's why the leaves change color in the fall."

Carol looked over in amazement. "That's quite a story."

"Always stuck with me. Guess that's why I became a hunter."

"Where did you learn so much about Native American legends?"

"My ma. She was part Cherokee."

"Did she tell you the story about the Cherokee Rose too?"

"Yeah. I'd just gotten a whuppin' from my paw and I was howling something fierce, so she sat down and told me that story. I guess she wanted me to feel like maybe I didn' have it so bad or somethin'."

He suddenly felt uncomfortable, and by the looks of it, he wasn't the only one. Carol was looking away from him, off to the other side of the prison gates. She was probably thinking about the time he brought her that damn flower. He didn't know what had possessed him to want to tell her that story when her daughter had gone missing, although it seemed to help at the time. In the end it didn't matter though.

When those doors to the barn flew open and he saw little Sophia come out all covered in blood, he damn near had a heart attack. He could hear Carol behind him running up to go to her, but he couldn't let her do that. He reached and pulled her down to the ground with him to shield her from it as best he could. Watching Rick put a bullet in Sophia's head was one of the worst things he'd ever seen, but if it'd come down to him having to do it, he would've stepped up. Even if she hated him for it.

"So you gonna tell me why you're sleeping out here now?" Carol asked, breaking his train of thought. "You know no one wants you to feel like you're being pushed out."

Daryl huffed. "It's too damn crowded in there with all them old people. I know they can't help it, but it's gonna slow us down if more walkers get in or if the Governor comes back with a crew. Figured I'd better not get lazy or let my guard down. I'll just stay out here and keep an eye out for unwanted visitors."

She laughed. "So what, you're the bouncer now?"

"Hell no." he scoffed. "But I ain't nobody's hall monitor neither."

"You know Rick counts on you more than anybody." She gestured. "He'd be real upset if something happened out here and we weren't there to help you."

"I can take care of myself just fine. Been doin' it forever."

"And what about me?" She batted her eyelashes teasingly. "You just gonna leave me alone with all of those big muscled men in those tiny cells? What if one of them takes advantage?"

Daryl guffawed. "I seen you with that rifle. You'd have 'em on the ground before they knew what hit 'em. 'Sides, you know Rick'd never let anything happen."

She got quiet and he figured maybe she was amusing herself with the image of shootin' a guy in the balls if he tried anything with her. He loved the idea himself, mainly because he couldn't stand the idea of any of the men in camp laying a hand on her, friendly or otherwise. But then when he looked over at her, he saw sadness in her eyes.

"You all right? Did someone try something with you? Cause if they di-"

"No," she replied quickly. "No one tried anything. I was joking. Besides, with all the young women in the prison now, no one even looks in my direction. I'm the old hag who takes care of babies and does laundry and cooks."

"You ain't an ol' hag." Daryl scoffed. "You take care of everyone, but you ain't an ol' hag."

"Feels like it sometimes."

"Why?"

She looked over at him. In the moonlight, he could see her pretty eyes shining brightly at him. Sure, she had some lines on her face, and her hair was more gray than not, but she was still a looker. He figured maybe she hadn't been told so in a while.

"I haven't had a guy check me out in nearly twenty years. Even if they did, Ed warned them off real quick."

"Ed was a bastard an' thought he owned you." Daryl muttered. "I'm sure lots 'o guys used to check you out. Just didn' know it."

She tried to smile but he knew she was faking. He wanted to tell her that he'd been one of those guys himself, but he'd sound like a sonofabitch if he did. Instead, he decided to try and get up off the bank, but the minute he put pressure on his leg, it seared with pain.

"Fuck!"

"What happened?" She'd snapped out of her moment. "Is it your ankle?"

"Twisted it trying to put this damn tent up."

"Why didn't you tell me? I could've brought some supplies down."

He shrugged. "I know we're gettin' low. No sense in using up more on me."

"Let me see it."

"You ain't touchin' my foot."

"Stop being such a baby."

"I ain't a baby!"

"If it looks like a tantrum and sounds like a tantrum…"

"Shut up woman." He scowled.

Carol huffed. "Fine, then I guess I'm putting up the tent myself."

"You don't have to."

"If I don't, you'll have to sleep inside the prison again."

Daryl wanted to argue back, but she had a damn point. "Fine. I'll hand you the poles."

Carol could've cursed herself for attempting to put a tent up in the middle of the night using a flashlight. No wonder Daryl had hurt himself! If she'd been smarter about it, she would've talked him out of the whole thing and made him go back inside for the night. He needed to get some medical attention for his ankle too, but that was another beast entirely. He was so stubborn when it came to letting her touch him. He could have gotten a compound fracture with the bone protruding out of his skin and still wouldn't let her near him. She had started to wonder if he'd ever let a woman touch him before in his life. Of course, she couldn't say that, for fear that he'd completely shut down on her. When it came to matters of the heart and physical intimacy, he was as timid as a baby deer.

His comment about men checking her out had thrown her for a loop too. Sometimes she'd catch a quick glimpse of him staring at her, only to look away as soon as he was spotted. In her mind, she liked to think that he was admiring her, but the more realistic option was that he was trying to think of ways to keep her and the others safe. It was sweet, but it wasn't exactly what she wanted. She certainly didn't want Rick to have to save her either. He'd certainly done his share of that in the last year, but she thought of him as more of a brother than anything. Carol wanted her man of honor, and there was only one name on that list.

_Too bad he can't see it._

When Sophia had gone missing, he was the first one to go out searching and the last to come back. When he told her the story of the Cherokee rose, it brought her to tears because he understood exactly what she was going through. Daryl knew better than anyone what the pain of loss felt like, and even though he wasn't always good with words, he'd found a way to say exactly how he felt, and she knew it came straight from the heart.

Unfortunately now, he was getting impatient with her, so she pushed the thoughts from her head and focused on getting the tent vertical. After a few hairy moments, and a string of curses on Daryl's part, they finally got it all settled and laid back down in the grass to look up at the night sky. There didn't seem to be many walkers around the fence at the moment which was rare. She could hear the crickets chirping away and see the lightning bugs flying out over the field. For a moment, Carol forgot all about the craziness of the world and just let herself enjoy it. Even Daryl looked peaceful. She'd almost worked up the courage to finally ask him if he'd been one of the men who'd looked at her that way, when they were interrupted by the sound of two people laughing and running across the catwalk at the top of the hill.

"Glenn and Maggie, at it again." Daryl sounded thoroughly annoyed. "Those two sneak off to have sex more than a pack of rabbits."

Carol giggled. "It's sweet. They're in love."

"Ain't love, it's just stupid." He argued. "Ever since they got hitched, they've been runnin' off together, like they're on vacation or somethin'. If they don't watch their asses, they're gonna end up gettin' each other killed."

"Maybe it'd be worth it to them."

He looked at her like she had antlers. "What the hell does that mean?"

"There was a time when I would have risked life and limb for the man I loved." She said, remembering moments she'd nearly forgotten. "Maggie and Glenn know the dangers out there; they see it every day. But they love each other and they want to share it despite the consequences. It may look stupid and selfish to us, but to them it's all they have and they're making it count."

Daryl got very quiet, but continued to stare at her. There were days where she could read him like an open book, and then there were times, like now, when she had absolutely no idea what he was really thinking.

"I'm gonna head back up."

He frowned. "What about the constellations?"

"Can I get a raincheck?" She lifted herself off the ground and dusted off her pants. "I should go help Rick get everyone settled in."

"Yeah, whatever."

She turned to walk back but stopped and looked at him. "I'll come check on you in the morning, but if you need us you know where we are."

He leaned back against the hill, attempting to ignore her. She sighed and kept walking, only looking back when she got up to the top again. He was still there, muttering to himself to boot. She laughed, realizing that he'd probably been this way his whole life.

_You're a stubborn man, Daryl Dixon._

Daryl tried to make it look like he wasn't paying attention to her walking back up the hill, but he was; all the while cursing himself out for bringing up the subject of love and marriage. Damn that woman for making him think about things like that. To him, being in love was just a way of deluding yourself into thinking you were safe, but Carol saw it as some kind of beacon of hope. Like being in love could define you or something.

Thinking like that would turn him into a total pussy. His first instinct had always been to tell people that he didn't need them. Now with Merle gone, he really was on his own for good. Didn't help that he could still hear his brother's nagging voice in the back of his head egging him on and telling him what he already knew.

_**You's damaged goods baby brother. No one wants a broken man when they can have a knight in shining armor.**_

He _was_ damaged goods, and Carol deserved better. He knew he couldn't treat her the way she should be treated. She'd put up with so much shit from Ed over the years, so why would she want to have to deal with his issues now too? There had been a moment back when the Governor attacked that he thought he might have what it took to stand up and be the man she wanted, but then it was gone. She'd gotten into a new routine, and he was right back where he'd started-questioning everything.

Crawling his way over to the tent, he got in and zipped it shut behind him. He lay there looking up at the ceiling for what seemed like hours; his ankle throbbing dully. As he finally started to drift off to sleep, a thought crossed his mind.

He didn't know how much time he had left on this planet gone to hell, but whatever he did from now on, he would make it count. He would try to be the man she wanted him to be.

A man worth caring about.

**A/N: You will notice as the chapters go on that I will be delving into a LOT of the backstory of these two characters, as well as of others in the show. I plan to have them interact with each other a decent amount because…well… they're never alone are they? Plus, I love the other characters just as much as I love these two. All right, gotta go work on chapter 3 now!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: And I'm back! I feel like I've been working on this story nonstop these days (and that includes the times that I should probably be doing my homework too, but don't tell any of my professors:) **

**This chapter was a fun one for me. I really got a chance to throw in some things about Carol's past that I think may have been possible in her life based on her personality. There's also some backstory on the Woodbury group in this one too. There's also mention of one of my favorite books of all time. Okay, on with the story! (and off to finish my school paper before the weekend starts!)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Walking Dead or its affiliates. If I did, I'd be one happy woman!**

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Ch3.

"So can anyone tell me what the significance is between Atticus and Boo Radley?" Carol looked at the small group of children sitting in a circle around her, waiting for a response. "No one?"

"I can." One older boy spoke up, looking annoyed. "They're both morons."

Beth scowled at him. "Now why would you say that?"

The boy scowled back. "Atticus is defending a guy who is obviously going to be killed and Boo is running around acting like he's the town hero when he's just a big scaredy cat."

Carol frowned. "That wasn't exactly what I was looking for."

A young girl in the front raised her hand. "Miss Carol? Why does everyone think that Tom Robinson hurt that girl? No one believes he didn't do it."

Carol sighed. She'd love to tell this child that racism was a thing of the past, but sadly even in the world they currently lived in, it was still rampant. Only now, it came down to the living not willing to help others like themselves because they were too scared to trust.

"People tend to believe what they're told in life is true, even if it isn't. Most people aren't brave enough to question it, but some are, like Atticus Finch. He knows that Tom is innocent even if no one else believes him, and he fights for him."

"But he loses."

"I think…" Carl spoke up from behind the smaller kids. "I think he knew all along that he would, but he still fought for what was right. That's what a decent man would do."

Carol smiled. "That's exactly right Carl. He knew he wouldn't win, but he did what he thought was right. It's what honorable men do."

"Daryl's honorable." Beth blushed, sitting next to Carol. "He always does what's right."

Carol tried not to laugh at the poor girl's obvious crush on Daryl. She'd been trying to tell him that he was honorable for a year now, but he never believed her. It seemed like all the years of abuse had tainted his self-worth and it was a crime to see him constantly putting himself down. She knew that if he hadn't been there all this time, none of them would have made it this far.

"All right, we'll pick this up again tomorrow, but for now let's call it a d-"

Before she could get the words out, the kids had scrambled from the small room they'd been in to the main door and out to the blacktop to play. Carol ushered Beth to go out and keep watch for them. They hadn't had a breach in the prison for a few months now, but no one ever wanted to take that risk when the children were involved.

When the group from Woodbury moved in, they had a lot of young people with them, so it was decided quickly that they needed to have some type of schooling during the day to keep them occupied. Most of the adults who survived through the Governor's attack were elderly, so it fell to the women of the group to take turns teaching the kids. Carol was the first to volunteer, along with Beth and Sasha from the other group. They each took turns working with the kids on writing skills, math, and history, and let the men handle things like defense and strategy. There were seventeen kids in all, so they were split into two groups by age. She currently had nine of them in the younger group, ranging from four to twelve. It wasn't always easy, but she enjoyed having some sense of normalcy again.

"School out already?" Daryl's voice floated into the room as she turned around and smiled.

"Yeah, they're out playing."

"They got it too easy." He grumbled. "They should be out there learnin' some skills."

"They need time to be kids too Daryl." She defended. "Just because the world is different doesn't mean they shouldn't have a chance to play."

"They being hard on you?"

"Not too bad. Having Beth around helps."

He nodded. "Beth seems good with kids."

"Beth has a crush on you." Carol smirked at him.

"No she don't."

"Seems to me she does."

Daryl made a face. "She's too young for that stuff."

"She's seventeen. She's right at the age for getting crushes." She gathered up some books sitting around. "Carl has a crush on her but she isn't returning the favor. I feel bad for the poor thing. He's been pulling away from her a lot. All he wants to do now is guard the prison."

Daryl nodded. He understood the boys frustrations. "When I was his age, I was more interested in huntin'."

Carol was mindful. "Well, some guys hunt for animals, and some hunt for pretty girls."

"S'pose so."

He knew that's how Merle'd been, but he never really understood why. Personally, girls scared the piss outta him.

"You taking Carl out to track later?" She said, disrupting his thoughts.

"Yeah probably. He's getting' pretty good."

"I'm glad you're teaching that part." Carol smiled. "I'll stick to reading and writing."

"You'da made a real good teacher I bet."

"I never told you?"

"Told me what?"

"I was one. I taught English to second graders." She rearranged the books on the shelf in the corner. "It was before I married Ed. I was fresh out of college."

Daryl looked taken aback. "You went to college?"

"Yeah, for four years." She smiled. "Some of the best years of my life."

"Well shit…" He sat on the edge of the make-shift desk. "Now I feel stupid."

"Why?"

He squinted. "I barely made it through the eighth grade."

Carol folded her arms, facing him. "I'd be happy to teach you if you want."

"Naw, it ain't gonna do me no good now anyway." He found a pencil and twirled it in his fingers. "I'm a lost cause."

"Well, you know where I am if you change your mind."

Carol instinctively put her hand on his arm, like she would have if she was talking to a student, but the look on Daryl's face told her that he was thinking something else entirely. She lingered for a moment but then let go, figuring maybe it wasn't a good idea. She was especially surprised when he didn't go running out the door immediately.

"So why'd you quit?"

"Quit?"

"Bein' a teacher."

"Oh, right." She started walking back to her cell and he followed behind. "I met Ed and we got married, but then he said he needed me to stay home to do the cooking and laundry like a good wife, and eventually he got his way."

"So he made you quit."

She sighed. "It was a tough job. I always loved the kids but I used to come home too exhausted to do much of anything. Ed didn't take well to that, so it sort of made the decision easy." She smiled. "Then I had Sophia, and I didn't have time to worry about anything else."

Daryl looked at her with hesitation. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"When did Ed start hittin' you?"

Carol was surprised to say the least. No one else had ever come out and asked. They'd always assumed it had been like that from the start.

"Not until after Sophia was born. He'd always had a temper, but he didn't actually hit me until she was about two months old."

"What happened?"

She thought back. "Sophia had colic and was constantly crying. Ed was working long hours and would go and stay with friends because he couldn't handle all the noise, so I was always on my own with her. One night, I went downstairs to make a pot of coffee, but I was so delirious that I forgot to put the pot underneath the strainer. When Ed came home in the morning to change for work, he found me asleep on the couch and coffee all over the place. I told him I'd clean it up but he said I couldn't do anything right and he smacked me. Eventually he apologized, claiming it was stress and that he'd never do it again." She chuckled dryly. "Well, you've heard the rest I'm sure."

"Did you think you deserved it?"

Carol sighed deeply. "At the time? Yeah, I did. Once you hear something enough times, it starts to sink in."

"You got that right." Daryl snorted, leaning against the door frame. "If I had a dime for every time I heard it, I woulda been a rich man."

"The hard part is convincing yourself that you don't deserve it." She said, taking his hand. "We can't change the past, but we can learn from it. You are a good man Daryl Dixon. Don't ever forget that."

He looked down at her grasp on his hand, and she could tell that now he wanted to run, but she wasn't going to let him. He'd been dealing with a burden on his shoulders for so long that he didn't know how to handle even the simplest compliment anymore. She was going to make sure that he knew how special he was, even if she had to tell him a million times.

"Stay here for a minute," She let go of his hand and started walking out the door. "I need to go check on something."

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Daryl couldn't remember being in a more uncomfortable position in his life. Still, it was his own damn fault. He'd been the one who'd asked Carol about Ed and the abuse. In a way, he'd just wanted to hear someone else's war story to have something to compare it to, but it only ended up making him feel more awkward and irritated.

Even though he knew it was true.

Carol was right. Once you heard something enough times in your life, it just stayed with you. It was like a part of you, for better or worse. He'd never had an easy time trying to convince himself of anything other than what he knew to be true. He was worthless. Even his own brother had basically told him all his life that he wasn't up to snuff. Carol was gonna have a lotta work ahead of her if she thought she could ever perusade him otherwise.

"Daryl?" Carol popped her head back in the door. She was holding Judith, who immediately grabbed for him. "Someone wants to say hi to you."

Every bit of conviction he'd just been feeling left his body the minute he saw that baby with her head full of hair and her big brown eyes. She always lit up when she saw him, and damned if he could figure out why. Everyone told him it was because she remembered how he rushed out to get her formula so she wouldn't starve after Lori died in childbirth. He couldn't imagine a little baby being able to remember anything like that, but he had christened her with her first nickname, Lil Asskicker.

Judith reached out for him and he lifted her over his head. She giggled and cooed like it was the best thing in the world. He'd never been around babies much before, but he believed that this one was his kindred spirit. They'd been through too much together for it to be anything else. Carol had known that this would be his reaction too. Anytime he was ready to fly off the handle about something, she'd hand him the kid and he would go all soft.

_Damn, I really _am _turning into a pussy. _

"How's my Asskicker doing today?" he said sweetly as he settled her over his hip. "Do I see some choppers in there now?"

"She just cut two teeth." Carol said, amused at the sight before her. "Hopefully the crying fits are over for the time being."

Without thinking, Daryl raised his pinkie up to the baby's mouth to inspect. He yelped loudly when she instinctively bit down on his finger. "Ow! Damn kid, you're as lethal as a walker now!"

Carol howled with laughter. "That's what you get for sticking your yucky fingers in a baby's mouth." She took Judith back in her arms. "Go wash up and we'll wait for you outside."

He headed over to the main washroom to wipe down some of the grime and dirt. He hadn't forgotten why he had been irritated, but it was more to the back of his mind now. He'd never be okay with what happened to Carol, but she was right. He couldn't change her past. He couldn't change his own past either. Suddenly it didn't matter so much anymore.

_Wonder if they make baby's first crossbow…_

**A/N: I have to admit…I am totally impressed with myself for that last thought from Daryl. It just seems to fit his way of thinking…and honestly, I would totally go out and buy one for every child I knew if such a thing did exist. I took a lot of liberties with Carol in this chapter, but I hope everyone is pleased with what came out. Talking about abuse is never easy, but I love that she's a strong enough person now that she feels comfortable telling Daryl stories from her past. **

**I also went back and forth about how to describe Judith. She's only days old as of the end of season 3, and we don't really get a good look at her. I heard that the babies who will be playing her next season have blue eyes, but when I was watching the show, I heard Beth make a comment to Rick about how Judith had Lori's eyes, which were brown. I decided to honor the fallen mother and stick to the brown eyes, much like my own (wink wink). Anyway, hope you're all enjoying it. Stay tuned in, there's more coming up real soon…and keep sending reviews! I'm not ashamed to admit I am a review junkie**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hola amigos! No, I don't really speak Spanish. That's about as much as I know, but I was feeling festive! **

**So, onto chapter four…I haven't planned out exactly how many chapters there will be, but I'm planning on arcing out what happens in this chapter into a few others, so it'll be around for a while. You will notice that for nearly every chapter, I will be writing scenes from both Carol's POV, and then switching it to Daryl's, and vice versa. I do this so you can get both sides of the story (and it's more fun that way too:)**

**This is also the first chapter where I pretty much have every main character in the same room at the same time. While you will be seeing almost all of these characters again at some point, it was fun to have them all interacting with each other. One of my all-time favorite characters is Michonne, but she's a woman of very few words, so there isn't a lot of dialog on her behalf-but don't worry. What she lacks in words, she makes up for in awesomeness**** Now on with the show!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or anything affiliated with it. All I own is myself.**

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Ch4.

"All right, everyone be quiet and let's figure this out." Rick's voice rang out over the crowd of people gathered in the C block.

Daryl was standing next to Rick waiting for everyone to shut their yaps. It was mainly their people standing around-Maggie and Glenn huddled tightly together whispering, Hershel by the steps where he could sit, Michonne waiting impatiently in the corner, and Carol off to the side by herself. Some of the Woodbury people were there too, though he hadn't cared enough to learn most of their names. He knew the big black guy and his sister had been at the prison before, but then Rick went ape-shit and kicked them out. Good thing they didn't seem too sore about it now.

"Who's watching the kids?" Hershel inquired.

"Carl's on watch duty. Beth's watching Judith for me and Laura's looking after some of the younger ones. I told her I'd check in soon to make sure nothing's going on."

"Right, let's get this going." Glenn piped up. "We all have stuff we want to be doing right now."

Daryl glowered. "Yeah we know what kinda 'stuff' you wanna be doin'. You been doin' it all over the damn place lately."

Glenn turned red. "I didn't mean _that_…"

"Enough." Rick said sternly. "We're not here to fight or make fun of each other. We have a lot more people here than we used to and that means we're going through supplies a lot faster than anticipated. That being the case, we are gonna have to make a run for supplies, and it has to be real soon."

"Aren't we putting ourselves at more risk by going out as a group?" Tyreese asked in a gruff voice. "What if the Governor is still out there just waiting for us to make a move?"

"It's been six months." Michonne glowered. "We can't just sit here starving to death because we're too scared to take a chance."

"I've seen what the Governor can do up close and personal," A dark haired woman from the other group proclaimed; the look on her face saying it all. "But she's right. We can just sit here and wait to die. If we were going to do that, we should've just stayed in Woodbury."

"I agree with Karen and Michonne." Rick gestured. "Even if he is, he doesn't have the numbers with him that he did before. Even so, we need to be cautious, so we will send a small group out to scavenge for supplies and the rest will stay here to defend the prison."

"How many?" Glenn inquired. "We need at least a few guys back here to keep watch."

"I'd like at least three." Rick revealed. "I volunteer myself to go, since you wanna stay close to Maggie, and Daryl's sporting an injured ankle. You two can stay back and keep watch. Carl can help out too."

"What _about_ Carl?" Michonne inquired. "He's not gonna take it well, you going off without him."

"We already talked about it. I trust him to stay behind to guard the others and that sits right with him. He may not be happy, but he'll manage."

_That makes two of us_, Daryl thought. He hated not being able to go out on runs. It was about the only time he got to hunt anymore and he was starting to miss it badly.

"My question…" Hershel spoke up. "Is where are we getting these supplies. Nearly everywhere within a thirty mile radius of here has been picked clean."

Rick nodded. "We are gonna have to go further north to try and find some land that hasn't been rummaged too badly. Tyreese was telling me that he thinks he knows some spots that might still be untouched near the mountains."

"Guess that means he's goin' too." Daryl muttered.

"I want in." Michonne chimed in. "I've been cooped up in here too long. A trip would do me some good right now."

Rick nodded. "All right. Well that's settled then. It's gonna be an overnight trip for sure, so we'll need to start packing-"

"I'm coming too."

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From the minute Carol spoke, she knew everyone had turned around to look at her, but she couldn't think about that now. She focused straight ahead on Rick, trying desperately not to take back what she'd just said. She didn't dare look over at Daryl, whose glare was so intense that she could feel heat radiating off her skin from it.

"No _fucking_ way."

She stood her ground. "You don't have a say in what I do, Daryl Dixon."

"The hell I don't!"

"Daryl, calm down." Rick put up a hand between the two of them. "Carol, why would you want to go on a scouting mission?"

"Maybe I have something to prove to myself." She said honestly. "I'm good with a rifle, you said so yourself. I'm getting better at tracking too. I want to do this."

She was sure that Daryl's stare was going to burn a hole right through her, but she had been preparing for this moment for months. When the Governor attacked the prison and she had been forced to use Axel's body as a human shield, it altered her existence forever. In those terrifying moments of wondering if she'd ever live to see another day, she had managed to find strength she didn't know she even possessed. It had only taken her a split second to remember that Daryl had left, and that she had a decision to make. Either keep living, or stay on the ground and die.

The decision wasn't as hard as she'd been expecting it to be. With rifle in hand, she'd fought off the attackers and proved to herself once and for all that she could be a warrior. It wasn't until things had calmed down that she realized that Daryl _had_ come back, but it only cemented her belief that she needed to know how to survive on her own.

Now came the hard part-proving she could do it.

"If you think you can do this…" Rick said slowly. "Then I don't have a problem with it. But why don't you take overnight to really think it through."

"Fine," She replied firmly. "But I'm going to have the same response in the morning."

She knew that Rick was really just trying to defuse the situation between her and Daryl, but she wasn't going to give in to him. Daryl could grumble all he wanted. She wasn't doing this for him.

"All right, let's call it a night then." Rick ushered to the volunteers. "You three stay behind. The rest of you can head back to your areas. Check your schedules to see who is on guard duty tonight. Everyone stay safe and report back anything that doesn't look right."

Carol sat down next to Tyreese, figuring that Daryl wouldn't attempt to jump over the large man to get at her. She looked directly at him for the first time and saw that he was beyond furious. Rick grabbed his arm and gestured to him to go back outside, whispering something as he passed. He went, but not before looking back at her with contempt in his eyes. Sometimes he made her feel just like Ed had. Like she deserved what she got. It killed her to think that he might actually be thinking it too.

"Okay…" Rick leaned in between the three adults. "Now we haven't been out in a while. I have to assume that the herds are getting more rampant as the food supply dwindles. We're also going into unchartered territory as far as I'm concerned, so we won't know what to expect. We will need to stay together at _all times_, do you understand?"

"We're gonna want to stick to using blunt weapons and knives as much as possible too so we don't cause a commotion." Michonne pointed out.

Rick nodded. "We'll take the guns, but let's hope we don't end up having to use 'em."

Carol had a sudden moment of panic at the memory of her last battle involving a knife. She'd nearly died when she lost her weapon trying to kill a walker and was left defenseless in a holding area for days. What if she ended up without a weapon out in the wilderness? How would she manage to defend herself then?

_That's why we are staying together. It will be fine._

"Carol, you all right?" Tyreese's voice cut through her thoughts. "You look like you're rethinking your plan."

"I'm fine." She assured him. "Just trying to remember my battle tactics."

"You're gonna need them to face Daryl." Michonne said dryly.

Rick's voice pulled them back. "I'm gonna get a list from everyone of what they need the most so we can decide from there how to split up the tasks. Let's plan on leaving in two days. In the meantime, get your gear together and try to get a good night's sleep. I need all of you at your best on the road."

They all stood and started going their respective ways. To Carol's surprise, Tyreese hung back for a moment to talk with her.

"Why is Daryl so mad about you coming along?"

"It's a long story." She lied. In actuality, it came down to him being mad that she could go and he couldn't be there to keep an eye on her.

"Well, I'm personally glad you're coming." He reassured her. "I hear you're a great shot."

Carol attempted a smile. At least someone was glad she was doing this. Tyreese turned and left to go back to his area, leaving her alone for a moment. Instinctively, her first thought was to go find Daryl and apologize, but she'd spent so many years apologizing for things she wasn't sorry for already. She knew she needed to stand her ground and let him know that she was serious and he wasn't going to sway her decision. The only problem was, in order to do that, she had to be in close proximity to him.

_Maybe letting him sleep it off isn't such a bad idea._

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(moments earlier)

All Daryl could see was red. He was so angry he was about to spit nails. What the _hell_ was Carol thinking? After all the times he'd saved her damn ass, and now she wanted to go out risking it all. And for what? To prove that she wasn't a battered wife no more? Going out to play in the damn wilderness and poking walkers with a stick wasn't gonna fucking prove nothing, it was gonna end up getting her killed.

He couldn't stop staring. She wouldn't even look him in the eye, which pissed him off all the more. He was gonna take her aside the minute this was all over and tell her that it wasn't happening. It was bad enough that he couldn't argue going for his own sake, and he sure as _hell_ wasn't going to let her go off into the mountains without him. Just as her eyes were lifting to finally look up, Rick blocked his view.

"Daryl…" He came up; placing a hand on his arm, like it would help. "I think you should go back to the tent now."

He didn't attempt to fight Rick on it, but he didn't exactly skip out the door either. He took his good ol' time going back outside and stopped as soon as he hit the blacktop. If she was smart, she'd come out right now and tell him that she was just kidding and forget the whole thing, but that was like wishing for a palace when you didn't have a pot to piss in. Daryl had been so messed up about the whole thing that it was just now registering in his head what Rick had said as he was walking away.

_**I'll keep her safe.**_

Rick shouldn't be keeping her safe! He should! He needed to get back in there and plead his case. His ankle was still swollen, but he could get around on it. There had to be something he could do to stop this. Suddenly, Merle's voice popped up in the back of his head, egging him on.

_**Nice way to drive your lil' lady away there, dipshit. Probably won't even make it back now since you wrote her off. Maybe she'll just throw herself at a herd and let them rip off her flesh like she was a rotisserie chicken. **_

Daryl growled and kicked the wall as excruciating pain seared its way up his leg. His anger had now turned to self-hatred, and he knew there was no way he could go on the hunt now. Damn his pride! Now she could go out there and sacrifice herself for nothing. He'd practically driven her right into the arms of danger.

And possibly another man.

She would only look up at him once she was hiding behind Tyreese. How could she be scared of what _he_ might do to her, but she was willing to trust a guy she barely knew to protect her? Daryl's blood boiled at the thought of him trying something out there with her in the woods.

_God-fucking-dammit!_

Something in Daryl snapped. He hadn't felt this way about someone since his mom had died in that fire. He hadn't been able kept her safe. Not from his daddy, and not from herself. Part of him knew that she'd wanted to die; she'd just done it slowly over the course of a few decades. If he didn't stop the cycle now, he'd end up just like his old man. He'd been pushing people away for too long, and it needed to end.

Starting. Right. Now.

**A/N: This was a crazy scene to write, and I went back and forth about having them make up the same night, but I decided that it'd be better to let Daryl stew over his feelings. Carol in my eyes has become a total badass in season 3, so I'm totally amped to get her out there with the walkers and have her prove herself just like everyone else. **

**I also started playing with the notion of there being a love triangle situation between Daryl, Carol, and Tyreese. In the novel, Carol and Tyreese were an item for a while, and while I have no plans to actually make him a threat to Daryl at this point, I want Daryl to think he ****could**** be. He's quite a complicated man, but you still have to love him!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Diiiinnnng doooooooong motherf***ers! *Ahem * Sorry…having another Boondock Saints marathon since it's too hot to go outside…hehe. **

**So in this chapter, our characters are waking up from the night before and they both have a lot on their minds. We get a little more in depth with where each of them is coming from as well. Rick and Sasha make appearances in this chapter too. I really think that having them interact with the other characters just makes the dialog and flashbacks richer. **

**Also, a HUGE thanks for the reviews and messages. You guys are totally on track with me as far as what I'm trying to get across, which is freaking amazing! My only goal in doing this was to do these characters justice and try to portray what I think they might be feeling, so I love that you all think it's worthy of reading**

**Okay, enough chatter…I need to go watch some more gun-slinging McManus brothers action now! *giggles like a total fangirl***

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own imagination.**

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Ch5.

Carol woke up early the next day still feeling wiped out. It felt like she hadn't really slept at all. She'd spent most of the night running circles in her mind, trying to figure out what to say to Daryl. If she had just dealt with it last night like she knew she should have, it wouldn't have been so hard to settle down.

She needed to get things resolved with him before she left, and then she'd feel better. Heading down for breakfast, she immediately noticed he wasn't there, which meant that he was still off somewhere pouting. It reminded her of how Ed used to act back while they were still dating. He hadn't been abusive then, but he definitely knew how to throw a fit when he wanted attention. Eventually, once he'd gotten what he wanted from her, their relationship had taken a turn for the violent side. While she didn't really believe that Daryl would ever lash out enough to hit her, he'd come close a couple of times. Those were the moments when she knew he was having a major internal battle over right and wrong. Daryl despised men like her husband, but if he'd have chosen a different path in life, he could just as easily have been the one in Ed's shoes.

She figured he had to be at least a little more reasonable about it now, so after breakfast she headed back to her cell to freshen up before heading down to the field to talk to him. As she reached for her bag, she was surprised to see something sticking out of the side pocket. She pulled it out; gasping immediately when she recognized what it was.

Daryl's hunting knife.

There was a folded piece of paper sitting right next to it. She made her way back over to the cot to sit down before she attempted to read it. With shaky hands, she unfolded the letter.

**Figured you might need this. Make sure to bring it back with you.**

**Daryl**

He _had_ been in her room last night. Maybe he'd come back to talk to her after she'd fallen asleep. He'd obviously changed his mind about her going on the trip. This must have been his peace offering to her, although his insistence that she also survive through the trip wasn't lost in its translation. She needed to go and thank him, but before she had a chance to, she saw a shadow by the door.

"Carol?" It was Tyreese's sister, Sasha. She looked concerned. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

The poor girl looked as tired as she did. Apparently no one slept last night. "Sure."

She stepped into the small room. "No offense to your people, but I'm worried about sending my brother out there with a bunch of folks he barely knows. We lost the rest of our group to biters and crazy people, so it's not exactly helping my anxiety levels."

Carol gestured to her to sit. "Have you tried talking to him about it?"

"Yeah. He said he has to go to show them the way, but he won't let me come along either." She shrugged. "I know he's trying not to put me in danger, but we work better as a team. If he goes out there and doesn't come back…"

"I completely understand." Carol interrupted her. "I've lost a lot of people too. He's all you have left for family."

Sasha looked uncomfortable. "I heard you lost your husband and daughter. I can't imagine what it must be like."

"Losing my daughter was the hardest thing I've ever gone through. Losing my husband…was a blessing from God." Carol breathed in deeply. "He was abusive."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It's all right. I need to start talking about it so I can get over my anger." She smirked. "At least, that's what they used to say back when therapists existed."

Sasha attempted a smile. "Look, I know I haven't been the warmest with you, but it's only because I'm hesitant to trust people anymore. I guess what I'm asking is that you look out for him. Of all the people going, I trust you the most."

Carol appreciated the compliment. "I can do that."

"Thanks." Sasha stood up to leave. "I should get going and let you pack for the trip. You probably have a lot to do before you leave."

"Yeah, no kidding."

Sasha hesitated. "I know it's none of my business, but I have to ask. Are you and Daryl together?"

Carol didn't know why, but the question made her somewhat irritated. "No, we're just friends."

"He didn't seem like you were just his friend last night when he ordered you not to go."

"Daryl thinks that he has to protect me from the world." She sighed, shaking her head. "Even now, he thinks that if he doesn't go along, something will happen to me. I've let him save me more times than I can count, but this time, I need to save myself."

Sasha smiled in sympathy. "Well I hope you find whatever you're looking for out there."

"Thanks." She looked down at the knife sitting on her bag and the paper in her hand. "Me too."

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Daryl was grumpy. He hadn't slept all night, and without any pain killers, both his head and his ankle were throbbing painfully. He'd thought about shuffling up to the prison to get some food and aspirin, but then he'd probably end up having to explain his actions from last night to everyone in there.

_Damn people. Can't mind their own business. _

He'd been hiding out in the tent most of the morning, but that was getting old real fast. As much as he tried not to think about what happened last night, it weighed heavily on his mind. He knew he'd overreacted, but he was never any good at admitting it. He could never get the words out right. He'd gone back to his tent and sat there for two straight hours trying to figure out what the hell to say to her. To make matters worse, by the time he'd gotten back inside to say it, she was already asleep. He noticed that she had been curled up in a ball on the cot. He used to sleep like that as a kid. Figured it was a reflex from always knowing that someone was gonna try and hurt him. She must've done the same thing, only this time it wasn't Ed she was scared of. It was him.

Daryl hated himself for making her feel threatened like that. It killed him to think that she'd ever think he could hurt her. He'd jump in front of a bullet for this woman. Even after all she'd put him through, it would still be worth it. Suddenly, he knew a way that he could keep her safe and still let her know that he was watching out for her.

He may not have had a bullet, but he did have a knife.

Reaching down for the sheath, he unhooked it from his belt. His hunting knife had saved him more times than he could count, and now it was going to bring Carol luck. He placed it right on the side of her bag so she wouldn't leave it behind. He grabbed a piece of paper and a pen off the boxes she'd been using as a desk and jotted a quick note to go with it. Then he'd left the cell quietly and headed back outside. He just hoped that it would be enough.

"Daryl? It's Rick. Can I come in?"

Daryl drove the memory from his head at the sound of his friend beckoning him. He pushed the flap to the tent open and saw Rick crouched down on his level.

"'Sup?"

He had a bowl. "Brought you some food. Figured you didn't want to make the long trek up to the kitchen."

Daryl's stomach growled in appreciation. "Thanks man."

"I asked Glenn to take your shift on guard duty tonight too. Don't think you should be trying to walk around with you ankle the way it is. Don't want to make it worse."

He wanted to argue that he was fine, but he knew that Rick was stressed out enough about the trip. He didn't want to add to his already growing list of issues. Instead he compromised.

"I'll take one of his shifts next week to make up for it."

"I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

"You still goin'?"

Rick looked exhausted. "Yeah, I need to. I'm not going to order people out to a new area by themselves and not have a guilty conscious if something happens. Carl's not real happy with me about it but I'm not risking his life on top of mine."

"I'll keep an eye on him for ya. He's just angry and confused like the rest of us."

"Thanks, I appreciate it. With all that boy's gone through this year, I worry about how it will affect him later down the road." Rick grimaced. "I didn't raise him to end up a man like the Governor, but it's so easy to get that way when you're filled with hate."

"He won't end up like that. He's got a good head on his shoulders." Daryl reassured. "Might be mad right now, but eventually he'll come 'round."

"I guess you know what that feels like don't ya?"

Daryl chuckled. He probably knew better than anyone what Carl was going through right now, only he'd never had a dad like Rick to make him feel like he was good enough. If he had, maybe he woulda made something of his life, but there was no sense in wishing for something that couldn't be. He'd managed to get along pretty well in this world without it anyway.

"We're survivors. So are you."

"I don't feel like it." Rick sighed heavily. "Some days, I feel like I should've died a long time ago."

They'd all been there are one time or another, wondering what the point was in going on. But in those times, Rick had fought to keep them going, even if it meant risking his own life in the process. Daryl was pissed as anything to find out that Merle'd been left on that rooftop in Atlanta, but Rick owned up to his mistake and went back for him. He'd seen countless numbers of people he cared about get killed at the hands of walkers. He'd put down Sophia at the barn when no one else could man up, and then had to kill his own best friend when he'd become a threat to the group. It was no wonder he'd taken a ride to crazy town after Lori died. How many times could one man be forced to do so many things he despised and not go insane?

"You goin' out there to prove somethin'?"

He paused. "I need to know that I can still handle the role of being the leader of this group. If I can't, I might just have to ask you and Glenn to step up for me."

Daryl was shocked. "Me? A leader? Naw, I'd kill everyone."

Rick grinned. "I think you'd make a good one. Just because you're used to playing the sidekick role doesn't mean you don't have it in you. The people in this camp trust you. They look to you for guidance. That's exactly what a leader should be."

Rick could talk all he wanted, but there was no way he'd _ever_ convince Daryl that he was leader material. After his little tantrum the night before, he doubted anyone'd ever come to him for advice again. Probably worried he'd stick an arrow through their skull if they pissed him off. Hell…he was more worried he'd actually _do _it.

"You're full of shit man."

"You're not the only one who thinks so."

"They're assholes." Daryl defended. "You've kept us alive this long. Anyone who says different can answer to me."

"Spoken like a true leader."

"Shut up." He spat.

Rick chuckled, but then got serious. "I'm glad I have you to back me up. Even when no one else believes in me, I know you do."

Daryl felt like Rick had already given in to his fears. "You are coming back, ain't ya? Promised me you'd keep Carol safe."

"I did and I meant it. She's got a lot to prove to herself, just like me, but she seems to spend most of her time worryin' about how it will affect you." Rick looked him straight in the eye. "She took it real hard when she thought you weren't coming back. It made her see the world in a different way I think."

"I let her down." Daryl felt like shit. He'd yelled at her when he should've been yelling at himself. "But I'm gonna try to make it up to her."

Rick empathized. "You will, but right now she's trying to prove that she can handle herself without you, and I don't see nothing wrong with that."

"Nothin' wrong with it as long as she stays _alive_."

"She will." Rick put his hand up in oath. "I swear to you right now Daryl, come hell or high water, I will bring her back."

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Despite being tired and sluggish, the day had gone by quicker than Carol had expected. She'd never gotten to go work things out with Daryl as she'd planned because when she had tried, he'd been talking to Rick at the time. She'd attempted a few other times during the day, but something had always come up that needed her attention right at that moment. The sun had started to set in the sky and she knew she had a long day ahead of her in the morning. She needed to go down and talk to Daryl now before she completely chickened out.

To her surprise, he wasn't in his tent when she went down to find him. She was pretty sure he hadn't been up to the prison all day since people had been sending down food for him. After a few minutes of looking around, she saw him sitting down on the edge of the dock by the water near the fence. Rick had gone there a lot when he was having his issues, but she didn't suspect that he went down there much. It looked like a place that couples would go to talk and hold hands. She giggled internally at the thought of her and Daryl going there together.

_Ha! That'd be the day. _

She made her way hesitantly to where he was, not exactly sure what she could expect when she got there. To her genuine surprise, he actually looked happy to see her.

"You all packed?"

"I'm getting there." She sat down right next to him and dangled her feet over the edge of the dock. "I saw you left me a present."

"It's just to borrow. I want it back."

She smiled, understanding what he'd been trying to say. "Gives me good incentive to come back alive, doesn't it?"

"That knife's gotten me through a lot of tough times." He said simply. "It'll keep you safe."

"Well thank you for trusting me with it."

"I'd trust you with my life."

She looked over at him pensively, almost afraid that if she moved he might try to bolt out of his seat. He was staring down at the water and looked completely terrified by what had just come out of his mouth. She realized that he probably hadn't said those words to many people in his lifetime. She was one of the very rare few.

"That means a lot Daryl."

"Yeah, well…" He shrugged. "I haven't exactly been so nice to ya lately. Don't want you going off thinking you need to prove something to me by getting yourself killed."

Carol shook her head. "I'm not doing this to prove anything to anyone except myself. I love that you always come riding up to save me on your shiny motorcycle, but what if you're not there the one time I need you most? I have to be able to handle things for myself. Can you understand that?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I get it. But it don't mean that I'm going nowhere neither."

"I don't want you to."

He finally looked up at her now, his eyes boring directly into hers. She stared back with determination, not letting him think for one moment that she wasn't completely serious. He needed to hear this whether he wanted to or not.

"You should go get packed." He said finally; his voice was gruff like he'd been holding something back. "Rick wants to leave at first light tomorrow."

"Yeah, I know." She stretched out her legs in front of her. "You can stay in my cell while I'm gone if you want. It's probably gonna stay pretty hot out here for a while."

"I'll be all right." He kicked the edge of the dock, looking a little sad. "Be safe out there tomorrow. Don't do anything stupid."

She nudged him playfully. "When do I ever do stupid things?"

"Just make sure you come back, all right?"

The sun was setting quickly, and she knew she had to get back to the prison, but she hated to leave him there looking so miserable. Without a rational thought left in her head, she leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. It must have startled him because he turned slightly just as her lips reached him, and she got the corner of his mouth in the process. She pulled back quickly, hoping it hadn't freaked him out. He definitely looked surprised, but he didn't move away either. They stared at each other for another moment before she finally looked away, blushing. She quickly stood and started to walk away, pausing at the edge of the dock to look back once.

"You won't even know I'm gone."

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Daryl sat on the dock well into the night trying to wrap his head around what the hell had happened. He'd imagined the whole thing. He _had_ to have imagined it. For all the crap he'd given her last night, he didn't deserve anything. Especially not a kiss.

_Shit, women are confusing._

He'd let her win one damn argument and all of a sudden he was a decent guy. What if she got out there and decided that she didn't want him no more. What if she decided that she'd rather be with Rick? Or worse, that Tyreese guy. What chance did he have then?

_Shit, shit, shit._

Now hecouldn't stop thinking about her. The sun had turned orange in the sky and when it shone on her, it almost looked like she had a halo or something. When he'd told her he'd trust her with his life, she'd looked at him like he'd given her a damn medal of honor or something! Then, she'd told him she didn't want him to leave, and his stomach did cartwheels. Actual goddamn cartwheels!

_FUCK!_

He eventually got up off the dock and staggered his way angrily back to the tent. His mouth still tingled where she'd kissed him too. He didn't care what she said. He'd know she was gone, and he'd be counting the minutes until she got back. What really worried him was what he might do when he saw her again.

_It's official. I'm a big-ass pussy._

**A/N: Awwwww Daryl can be such a softie! I love trying to figure out exactly what is going on in his head. I know it's got to be a major tug of war happening in there. I also threw in a little kissy-wissy, which totally makes me run around the room squealing like a five-year-old. *hehehehe* For the next chapter, Carol's gonna get the chance to go out and prove herself once and for all, so stay tuned!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello my beloved readers! Hope this ungodly warm weather isn't making you all drop like flies…God knows I'm ready for it to be over. Bring on the sweaters!**

**So for this chapter, we have Carol going off with the group on her first big adventure out into the world of scavenging! Very exciting times! What will she encounter out on the road you may ask? Well…you're just going to have to read to find out!**

**I have also just witnessed something even more epic than this story can ever be. TWD Season 4 trailer is out people! It's four minutes long too! If you have not seen it yet, I am ORDERING you to stop reading this, go find it, and watch it IMMEDIATELY. I was seriously hyperventilating by the end. October cannot come soon enough!**

**That's all for now. Oh, everything is from Carol's POV since Daryl isn't in it too. (duh) Okay, on with the show!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything affiliated with The Walking Dead. This makes me sad**

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Ch.6

The group left at the crack of dawn the next morning before most people were even awake. Carol had luckily been able to get some sleep the night before, which she was grateful for. At least no one had mistaken her for a walker when she came out to load her bag.

They decided to take the Suburban so that they'd have plenty of room to bring back supplies. Rick rode shotgun with Tyreese up front, while she and Michonne sat in the back. Michonne wasn't exactly the most talkative of people, but she spent most of her time sleeping anyway. Carol noticed a book sitting next to her and thought she had seen Carl with it at some point. Maybe he had given it to her for the trip. He and Michonne had gotten close over the past few months. He hadn't taken well to the new group coming into the prison, but between Michonne, Rick, and Daryl, they were working on getting him straightened out.

He was going to be thirteen soon. Sophia would've been fourteen in the coming month, she suddenly realized. Her daughter's life had been cut too short. As much as the adults were affected by this world, the kids were the ones who had it the worst. Carl had ended up having to kill his own mother all because she hadn't been there to help deliver the baby. Maybe if they hadn't been separated, she could've gotten Lori through it. She'd been preparing for weeks to learn how to do the C-section, but her efforts had proven to be pointless. It was all she could do not to blame herself when she saw Judith for the first time and realized that Lori had never lived to see her precious baby come into the world.

"Hey, how you gals doing back there?"

Rick's voice disrupted her train of thought, but she was thankful for it. "I'm fine. Michonne's resting. How much longer do you think?"

"Maybe an hour or two. Tyreese thinks he knows of a place at the base of the mountains that may have some good medical supplies. We're gonna start there."

Medical supplies. She would jump for joy if they could get their hands on some more sterile gauze and antibiotics. They'd been low on supplies for months, and it was just a blessing that no one had been seriously hurt since they'd moved the new group in. It was only a matter of time before something happened and they needed them desperately.

She thought about when Hershel was bitten just after they'd gotten to the prison. Carol nearly panicked when the men brought him back after having to crudely chop his leg off with an axe to keep him from turning. Without Hershel, she and Maggie were the only ones left with any basic medical training and it probably wouldn't have gotten them very far. She had only learned how to handle medical emergencies herself after Ed started beating her and she had to learn to care for her own wounds. It may have come around from a bad situation, but she was grateful to have the skills now.

"Oh shit…"

Carol looked up, panicked at the sound of Tyreese's remark. Michonne, whom she had thought was asleep until now, jerked up quickly as well. The road was blocked just ahead and there were a few walkers roaming around the damaged vehicles.

"What now?" Carol asked with slight panic in her voice.

"I can to go back a ways and see if there's another road we could try." Tyreese suggested.

Rick shook his head. "Do you think you can go around the shoulder just there?"

"I don't know. It's pretty tight. What if we get stuck?"

"Hopefully we won't have to worry about that." Rick gestured back to Carol. "Grab the artillery bag and see what's there. We need some knives. There might be a crow bar back there too."

Carol turned around to the open area in the back and ripped open the first bag she saw. It was the artillery bag all right. She passed up two knives and a crowbar to Rick. Michonne already had her katana by her side ready to go. She went to grab Daryl's knife out of her own bag, and turned back to face them. "We're good."

Rick nodded. "All right. I'm gonna try to drive the truck up the side of the shoulder. Carol and Michonne, you guys go up ahead and get rid of any walkers you see that are blocking the way. Tyreese, you think you can handle guiding me through?"

"Sure."

"Good. If anyone needs back up, yell. Got it?"

Carol was hesitant, but Michonne was already out the door. "Let's do this."

The four passengers slowly got out of the truck and Rick ran around to the driver's side. Carol and Michonne made their way up the side of the road while Tyreese gestured for Rick to come forward in the Suburban. Much to Carol's relief, there were only four walkers up ahead. Michonne was the first to reach them, and she readied herself for the attack. Carol had seen her practicing with the katana before, but not up close. It flowed gracefully, almost like an extension of her arm. In one sweeping arc, she'd sliced the walker's head in half, and it plopped noisily to the ground, followed quickly by the thud of the body.

_Wow._

She looked back at Carol, gesturing to the road up ahead. "Get that one."

There was one a few yards up looking very curious about what was happening. Carol made her way quietly up to the trudging walker, attempting to not draw anyone else's attention off in the distance. It growled, projecting itself forward more steadily. A moment of fear ran through Carol when she realized that there was usually a barrier between her and the attackers at the prison. Right now there was nothing shielding from coming in full contact with the beast.

_You can do this. Be brave._

With Daryl's knife in hand, she got closer to the walking corpse and attacked. The knife seemed to do all the work for her as she brought it down and it sliced right through the walker's eye like butter. It made a groaning sound and fell down in a pile at Carol's feet.

"Nice job." Michonne complimented, looking semi-impressed.

"Thanks."

She couldn't believe she'd done it. Grasping her newfound confidence, Carol walked boldly up to the next closest one and plunged Daryl's knife into the back of its head until she hit the brainstem. He went down easily too. Her ego was soaring, but she needed to keep her wits about her.

_Don't get too cocky. You know what Daryl would say._

She had had been in plenty of situations where it was just her and a gun standing between life and death. There were only a few walkers here, but it only took one bite. Still, knowing that she could attack them and take them down was a boost to her confidence. She'd come a long way from the woman at the camp who was afraid to stand up and do anything against anyone. It was like she was finally becoming her own person.

"Carol look out!"

She heard Tyreese's tone and spun around to see a large male walker just feet away. It was barreling towards her quickly.

"Oh shit!"

It growled as it came closer, its dead eyes fixed on her intensely. Michonne had started walking ahead and was probably too far out of reach to help. Carol's first instinct was to run back to the truck for her rifle, but the large walker stood directly in her way. Not sure what else to do, she thrust out the blade in an attempt to keep him at bay. It continued forward, but before it could make contact, Carol felt a spray of blood fly across her face as the tip of the katana erupted through the back of the walker's head and out the front. Michonne pulled it out slowly, and Carol jumped out of the way as the body fell to the ground.

"Th-thanks." Carol tried to recover as Michonne grabbed her arm to steady her.

"You okay?"

She looked down at the walker. "I think so."

Tyreese ran over. "The truck's clear. Let's go before more come over."

They all ran back over to where Rick was standing on the other side of the pile up. Carol was fairly dazed but tried not to look it for everyone else's sake. Rick glanced back at her with concern in his eyes.

"Everyone all right?"

"I'm okay, thanks to Michonne." She said.

Michonne wasn't the least bit phased. "You would've done the same for me."

Rick walked to the front of the Suburban, glancing around. "Looks like we're clear for now. Hopefully this is the worst of the pile ups. Tyreese and I are gonna map this out real quick so we can see what our options are going further up the trail. You ladies get back in the truck and we'll get going in a minute."

The two women got back into the truck; Carol noticed her hands were shaking slightly. Of all the people she hadn't wanted to look weak in front of, Michonne was at the top of the list. From what she'd learned about the courageous woman in the past few months, Carol knew that she had been through the ringer and back, but never dared to show it. Apparently, she and Andrea had spent a good amount of time in Woodbury before Rick found her at the gates with a gunshot wound courtesy of Merle. When they had gone to find Glenn and Maggie, Michonne had run off on her own to find the Governor and attempted to take him down single handedly. Although she hadn't succeeded in killing him, she was able to take away part of his vision when she stabbed him in the eye.

None of them had known at that point what this man was capable of, but Michonne had somehow sensed it. She seemed to be very good at reading people, which was a blessing in disguise. When Merle had taken it upon himself to take her hostage in an attempt to keep war from breaking out, she had sensed that his true loyalties weren't to the Governor. She'd actually gotten him to set her free, but not before he went off to end his own life. Daryl had told her about how Michonne had replayed the events in the car with Merle, and how in the end he'd stood up to defend the prison. It had meant the world to Daryl, and she couldn't thank Michonne enough for it.

"Looks like you could use this."

Carol looked up and saw her holding a towel. She accepted it gratefully.

"Thanks." She said, wiping the blood from her face. "Guess I still need some more practice."

"You'll get there." Michonne wiped down the blade of the sword. "I was all thumbs when I started using this thing."

"It's an amazing weapon. Where did you get it?"

"I found it in my neighbor's house." She said, eyeing the blade. "He used to collect this kind of stuff. I thought it was fake until I got attacked and had to use it to defend myself. Couldn't believe it when the guy's arm went flying across the room."

Carol laughed. "Well, I hope someday I'm as graceful with a knife as you are with that."

She shrugged. "Just takes practice. I can show you sometime."

"Thanks. I'd like that."

The door to the driver's side opened, startling Carol. Tyreese and Rick both climbed back in to the truck. Rick looked back at them.

"I think we've got a good idea of where to go from here. Might be closer to two hours from the look of it. Hope that's all right."

Michonne chuckled. "It's a little late to turn back now."

"Well, let's head out then."

Carol looked out the window at some walkers that were off to the side in between the pile of cars. She was suddenly very glad that they were mobile again, but she was also wary.

"Can you guys all promise me something?"

Rick looked back with curiosity. "What is it?"

"No one can tell Daryl about this." She said plainly. "What happens in the mountains, _stays_ in the mountains."

**A/N: I know I know…how cliché. But it worked! Carol's slowly gaining strength and owning who she is, which I think is fabulous. I wanted to give Michonne a moment as well because I just love her as a character. She's not outspoken but man does she make a statement! **

**Now I'm off to watch the trailer again for the tenth time!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I have a serious issue to address today folks…I am very "pro" therapy and feel that feelings should be expressed in a healthy way. I also believe in the power of recovery. Today, I ask you to pray for a friend of mine. She has shown her true colors to me now and I am absolutely certain that she is in fact…*deep sigh*….a fan-fiction addict. **

**No matter what people may tell you, it is a disease. She has texted me no less than six times in the course of two hours (and this is around midnight mind you) that she NEEEEEEDs more of the story. I am currently in fear for my own safety if she does not receive another chapter, so I had to oblige. With mental issues this severe, you can never be too careful. We are currently seeking treatment for her, but I feel that with support, we will be able to help her through this difficult time. **

**And on that note….ON WITH THE STORY! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

****This chapter contains some risqué scenarios and is not recommended for anyone under the age of 16-discretion is advised****

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Ch 7.

The early morning sun darted out from behind a large cloud, instantaneously heating the air and everything in its path. Summers in Georgia were killer, and it was going to be a very hot day for sure. Even from in the tent, Daryl could feel himself starting to sweat. Why the hell didn't the prison have any trees to shade people? Probably because the inmates would've attempted to climb them and get over the fences was his guess.

He rolled over onto his side with a groan, flipping on a small battery operated fan he'd found on their last raid. He wasn't ready to get up just yet. It'd taken him long time to even get to sleep, and it wasn't like he had much to do anyhow. By now, Carol and the crew were on their way to the mountains, and he was still stuck here. Man he would've killed to have been in the mountains right now. The cool air, the forest all around. Sounded like heaven.

_Bet there ain't any damn walkers in heaven neither._

It had been hard letting her have her way, but it was even worse when he went to slip the knife into her bag when he saw her sleeping on the bottom bunk. Every fiber in his being was screaming to lock her up and not let her leave the shelter of the prison, but he knew he couldn't do it. Even here, she was still at risk of an ambush.

They all were.

He remembered the time during the walker attack that killed T-Dog and Lori. He'd just assumed the worst when he'd found Carol's knife. How could she survive that long with no weapon? It had eaten him up inside, knowing that she'd probably turned and he'd have to be the one to put her down. He couldn't imagine a much worse situation. After hours of sitting there with her knife in his hand, he finally mustered up the courage to open the door and do it. To his complete shock, instead he found her sitting there, her eyes still blue and her skin still pink, grasping onto life. When she looked up at him and smiled, it was like nothing else in the world mattered. She was still alive.

_Didn't get that lucky with Merle._

He cringed at the image in his mind of seeing his brother turned into a monster. He knew the Governor had left him there to die without shooting him in the head so he'd turn. What a sadistic bastard. Daryl did what he had to do, but it ripped him up having to put his only brother down like a rabid dog. No one, not even the most fucking hateful person in the world, deserved to go through that. He was glad he'd made things right with Carol before she left. He couldn't have her blood on his hands like that.

"Daryl?"

His eyes popped open at the sound of Carol's voice calling him from outside the tent. What the hell was she still doing here?

"I thought you'd left already."

He opened the flap so she could come in. She looked like she was in a daze.

"You were right. I have no business out there, so we came back."

"Well…good." He replied, shocked by her announcement. "I should go talk to Rick. Once my ankle's better, we can go-"

"Can it wait for a while? It's so hot out." She said, fanning herself. "It's no wonder you don't have a shirt on."

Daryl looked down, realizing she was right. When the hell had he taken off his shirt? He immediately reached down to grab it so she wouldn't see his scars, but Carol came over and grabbed it away from him. She didn't move away either.

"Don't put it on." She said seductively. "I like being able to see your chest."

"But I-"

"Don't be shy…come here."

Carol leaned up against him so that they were touching. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face closer to hers. Daryl could barely breathe.

"Did you enjoy that kiss from last night?"

Daryl didn't want to upset her, but he could barely form words at the moment. "Mmm-hmm."

"Would you like another?"

He couldn't take his eyes off her mouth. "Yeah…"

Before anything else could register in his brain, Carol's lips were crushed against his own. He grasped at her waist while she devoured his mouth in a way he'd never experienced before. She was wrapped around him so tightly he could barely move. He'd wanted to protest when she pulled back, but before he could, she led him back to the corner of the tent where he'd slept. The next thing he knew, he was laying overtop of her. For a moment he was worried that he might be crushing her, but certainly she didn't seem to mind. She immediately pulled him back down into a fierce kiss that made his entire body light up on fire. Her hands were everywhere; raking their way up and down his arms and all over his back. He nearly died when she wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing his groin into direct contact with hers.

_Dear fucking god… _

He'd never imagined anything feeling this good in his life. He didn't know what the hell he was doing, but he was having a damn good time trying to figure it out. She pulled away again and he searched her face, trying to read what she wanted him to do next. She was staring back, but she didn't look enthusiastic anymore.

"What's that thing on your neck?"

Just as he went to feel with his hand, something bit him. He jerked awake.

"OW!" He flicked the large ant off and rubbed the spot where it'd bit him. "Damn bug."

He looked around quickly, realizing he was still in the tent, but Carol was nowhere to be seen. Holy fuck. It'd been a dream! He hadn't had a dream that vivid since he was a teenager. What the hell was wrong with him?

He fell back to the ground, his heart pounding. How could that have been a dream? He looked down to see his sheets in a ball by his feet. He'd nearly sweated through his shirt too. Suddenly, he realized he had a bigger problem. It was straining painfully against his jeans.

_Jesus H. Christ…_

As far as Daryl could figure, he had two options. Ignore it…or don't ignore it.

This was definitely not something he'd been planning on. With the group in such close proximity inside the prison, doing anything of this nature wouldn't have been an option. There had been no way he'd _ever_ have considered it with the open cells and the echoing walls. But he wasn't inside the prison no more.

Daryl groaned in frustration. Merle had always encouraged him when it came to having fun with girls, but try as he may, Daryl could never get up the courage to say anything, let alone _do_ anything to one. The closest he'd ever gotten to it was one drunken night years before, when a stripper-friend of Merle's had let him feel her up. He woke up with a damn nasty hangover and a conscious to match, and never tried anything again after that. He'd let Merle think that there had been other times since then, but in reality he was just as happy to be out in the woods with a crossbow in his hands as he _ever_ was around a woman. Up until now it hadn't been an issue.

Damn his conscious for always trying to make him do the right thing. The world had gone to hell and he hadn't complained about it. He'd save people countless times and never asked for one fucking thing in return. In Daryl's book, God owed him big.

_Fuck it. I'm tired of always being good._

The minute he made his mind up, that was it. He reached down with his hand for the button on his jeans as he started to peel the zipper down slowly with the other. The pressure was killing him. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a shadow from the outside. He tried desperately to ignore it, hoping it was just the sun darting behind a cloud.

"Daryl? You awake?"

_OH SHIT! _

Karma was a fucking bitch. He looked up and saw the silhouette of a girl outside the tent flap. It was Beth. He quickly grabbed the sheets and attempted to cover himself before he had an even _bigger_ issue.

"Uh, yeah just uh…give me a minute."

"Take your time."

_Is she fucking kidding?! _

"What is it?" He leaned his head out of the tent flap back enough to see her.

Beth smiled sweetly. "I know you've been stuck in here a lot because of your ankle, so I wanted to invite you to come up and keep me company for the day. Figured maybe you could watch Judith for me or sit in with the others during class time."

Daryl couldn't think of a worse way to spend his day. "I'm still in a lot of pain. Not really good company right now."

"I thought maybe you could do a class on tracking animals for the kids so they can practice hunting. They love it when you're around."

"Little kids like that shouldn't be out in the woods trackin' nothing." He argued sternly.

She looked a little stunned. "Well you know what I mean. Just thought you could use something to do to keep your mind off of the scouting trip. I know you'd wanted to go."

"'M fine."

"Right." She frowned slightly. "Well I'm just up the hill, in case you change your mind."

He knew she was upset that he didn't wanna play house with her, but dammit, did she have to walk away looking at him like he just shot her favorite dog? Maybe it wouldn't hurt him to come up and check on things and see Asskicker for a while. It'd probably help him to get his mind off of other issues. Bet it was a lot cooler in the prison too. He threw his head back on the pillow, his conscious winning the battle this time.

"Damn women..."

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From the moment Beth had startled him in the tent, Daryl's issue had disappeared in record time. He figured now was as good a time as any to go visit with the baby. Whenever he was going through something and couldn't talk to anyone else about it, he would talk to her. He'd have to watch what he said to her from now on though, since she'd probably be repeating him soon enough. Somehow, spending time with her always made him feel like the world wasn't such a shitty place.

He limped his way up to C Block, noticing that Beth had taken the kids to another part of the prison today. Just as well since he really wasn't in the mood to interact with her right now. Hershel was sitting with Judith on the far side of the room. With his leg the way it was, getting there seemed like quite a chore. He suddenly had newfound respect for the old man. If it'd come down to Daryl having to lose a leg, he'd probably just as well have put a bullet in his brain. There weren't no such thing as a one-legged hunter.

"She's been waitin' on you." Hershel said, handing her over to Daryl. "Howled all morning when you didn't come see her."

"Well, I'm here now, so she don't gotta holler no more." He lifted her up to his eye level. "Sides, she's probably just missin' her daddy."

"Maybe," Hershel relented. "But I think she missed you more."

"Don't know why…" Daryl pulled his head away from her when she went to grab at a lock of his hair. He was in need of a haircut pretty bad. "I'm basically just somethin' for her to drool on."

"That's just how she shows her affection. Soon she'll be talking so much you won't know how to keep her quiet."

Daryl made a face. "Not looking forward to that. The women around here already yack too damn much."

Hershel chuckled. "I lived with three women. I know better than anyone what that is like."

"Yeah, well I don't want to find out."

"How are you handling Carol being out with the group? I know you weren't keen on it."

Daryl sighed. "Ain't happy about it, but she's right. She needed to go out and prove herself."

"So you gave in then?"

He scowled. "I didn't _give in_. I just decided she was entitled to know how to fight."

Herschel didn't argue back. "She'll be all right. Rick will keep her safe."

"Yeah, everyone keeps saying that." He grumbled.

"I know Beth wants more training too, but I'm scared to let her go out there. It's bad enough I can't talk Maggie out of it. Now that she's married, she rarely comes to me for advice anymore, let alone for approval."

Daryl noticed that Judith was gnawing on a corner of his shirt. "Don't mean she don't want your opinion. Maybe she's just trying to come into her own without relyin' on you so much."

"I trust that Glenn will set her straight if she has any bad ideas." Herschel laughed. "In some ways, he's stricter with her than I am."

Daryl suddenly remembered how strict his father had been. Only it hadn't been with words. He and Herschel had that in common, only Herschel had gone on to become one of the best fathers he knew. Those girls didn't know how lucky they had it.

"You think they'll be back by tonight?"

"Depends on how far out they had to go." Hershel said honestly. "But I'd say, if not tonight, probably tomorrow some time."

"Every trip is gonna be like this now." Daryl predicted. "We're gonna have to keep going out further and further until we'd might as well just leave the damn state."

"Maybe..." Hershel hesitated. "But then again, the more walkers we put down, the safer we are. Hopefully these kids will be able to live long enough to see a world reborn. Then they can set up wherever they want and take up an honest way of living."

"The chances of either of us seeing that ain't so good." Daryl muttered, bouncing Judith on his knee. "But I'm gonna do what I hafta to make sure this one gets a fighting chance."

Herschel smiled at them. "You would have made a good daddy Daryl. Still might in fact."

He chortled. "Yeah right. I ain't playin' 'Little House on the Prairie' with no one."

"You never know. Someone could come along and change your mind."

Daryl knew exactly what Hershel was insinuating, and he didn't want to hear it. Before he could get another lecture, he handed Judith back to the old man and turned to walk away.

"Here, take her. I got stuff I gotta do."

**A/N: I know I'm going to be getting LOTS of feedback about this chapter, so feel free to bring it on! It was quite an eye opening chapter for me (literally) and also one of my favorites to write so far too. Hope I didn't cause anyone to have any major heart arrhythmias (but if I did, I'm sure you didn't mind TOO much;) Now I'm off for some time with friends to help me cope with my perverted tendencies…hehe.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hello out there! Hope all is well. **

**So, I have been getting plenty of notices about people following the story, which is ****completely**** awesome…**_**however**_**, the reviews have been pretty slow coming in. You don't have to write me a novel or anything, but if you like where things are going, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! It helps me stay motivated to keep writing. Yes, that's probably a sad admission, but I have never denied that I love attention and will do just about anything for it…well, I draw the line at stripping;)**

**Anyway, back to the story-This was a really fun chapter to write. It sounds kind of weird, but I find the parts involving action to be easier to write than the romantic parts. Don't get me wrong-I LOVE romance stuff, but it's hard to get into that frame of mind while trying to describe it to someone the way you see it in your head. With action, it's like BAM! POW! Kick ass! Much different frames of mind.**

**There's also a really great moment between Rick and Carol in this one. I feel like as much as these two characters respect and love each other, they have a lot that goes unsaid between them. Carol was extremely close to Lori through all of the seasons, so she knows that talking about her upsets Rick, but at the same time I think it's something he really needs to hear too. Hope you all enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with The Walking Dead.**

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Ch8.

Carol was getting pretty tired by the time they set up camp for the night. Rick had picked a spot on an embankment by the base of the mountains, and they had settled in for the night to get some shut eye before heading up further along the trail in the morning. Tyreese's hunch of finding more supplies up north had definitely paid off. They'd found an abandoned Red Cross station on their first try, stocked with plenty of medical supplies and even some food and water. There weren't even many walkers around to hold off. Carol took mostly necessities, but grabbed a couple of surgical implements too just so Hershel would have backups in case of an emergency. It was a miracle that they'd been able to find most of what they needed in one place, but Rick wanted to keep scouting in case next time they weren't so lucky.

"I say we make our way around the ridge a little further up and then we can backtrack from there." He suggested. "There aren't a lot of homes up here to begin with, so the chances of finding places that haven't been ransacked are probably greater. Most people would've headed towards the city."

"How much more stuff do we need?" Michonne asked, throwing some small sticks into the low-lit fire they'd made.

Rick shrugged. "Just a few more items. Mostly stuff for Judith and some of the younger kids. We could use some more ammo too if it's feasible."

"We're in hillbilly terrain." Tyreese laughed. "I'm sure there's more than a few shotguns hidden up in these hills."

"I'm sure you're right."

"How are we going to work out sleeping arrangements?" Carol asked curiously. "I assume we're taking shifts."

"We don't want to take any chances." Tyreese agreed. "I'll take first shift. You all should go rest for a while."

"Suburban will only sleep two at a time." Michonne reminded them. "I'll stay up too."

Rick relented. "All right, then Carol and I will get in a few hours now, and you can come get us when you're ready to switch."

Carol wasn't about to argue with that. "Sounds good to me."

Rick guided her back to the truck, where he fished around in the back for his bag. Carol grabbed a blanket and nestled into the backseat to try and get warm. She couldn't believe in the middle of the summer that she was this cold. It occurred to her that maybe she was getting spoiled.

"You all right back there?" He asked.

"Yeah. Just trying to relax." She shivered. "I'm getting too used to having a roof over my head and a bed to sleep on."

"I wouldn't exactly say we live in the lap of luxury." He teased. "But it's a far cry from having to sleep on the cold ground every night like in camp."

"Do you think…" Carol paused, not knowing if she really wanted to know the answer to her own question. "Do you see us moving on from the prison anytime soon?"

Rick shut the trunk and climbed into the front seat. "To be honest, I've thought about it. I don't see how we can do that now with the amount of people we have there. As long as we can keep the prison secure, I don't see a reason to leave. Do you?"

"No. But I know some of the group is getting restless being there."

"You mean _Daryl's_ getting restless."

"He's not used to sitting idle for so long. I think it's really starting to get to him."

Rick leaned over the edge of the seat to look at her. "You thinking he's gonna leave again?"

Carol hated to even consider it. "I really don't know. He doesn't seem to have much tying him down to one place, and it's not like he hasn't done it before."

"Yeah but now Merle's not in the picture."

"No, but he thinks he's better off on his own."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that. He's getting pretty attached to you." He gestured to the back of the truck. "I noticed you were using his knife earlier."

"He put it in my bag before we left. He must be holding mine captive." She defended.

Rick laughed. "I'm not saying you provoked him, because lord knows he doesn't need it. But one thing he does care about is keeping you safe. If he did leave the group, I wouldn't be surprised if he asked you to go with him."

Carol didn't quite know how to react to Rick's assumption. She knew that Daryl did spend a good amount of his time these days keeping tabs on her, but would he really ask her to go with him if he left? Then there was the question that scared her the most. If he did ask, _would_ she agree to go off with him? It was too much to process right now.

"Let's hope for everyone's sake that he decides not to do anything for the moment."

"I hope I'm wrong." Rick admitted. "I rely on him more than almost anyone. I even asked him if he'd take over for me as leader if I needed to step down."

"What did he say?"

"Told me I was full of shit."

She snorted loudly. "That sounds like Daryl. He's never thought he had it in him to be great. Spent too many years with Merle."

"I guess we'll just have to keep reminding him then." Rick suggested. "I mean, look at you. You're not the same woman you were when Ed was around. Lori used to worry about you all the time. She'd be proud to see how you've grown."

Carol didn't overlook the tone in his voice. He obviously missed her badly. She knew that things with Shane had strained their relationship, and he'd never truly gotten to work things out with her before the end. They had been so close, but then the moment was gone.

"I miss her all the time." She said, trying to be cautious of his feelings. "Lori wouldn't take any crap. She called it like it was, especially when we needed to hear it most."

"That she did."

"She was probably the best friend I ever had."

He smiled. "She loved you like a sister."

Carol chuckled. "I know she was younger than me, but in a lot of ways, she was like a protective older sibling. She always made sure that Sophia and I were okay."

Rick got quiet at the mention of Sophia. As good of friends as they were now, she felt horrible for how she had treated him when her daughter had gone missing. She knew deep down how badly he'd felt about the situation. They hadn't had much time to dwell on it after Carl had been shot, and she was starting to realize that she'd never really gotten the chance to apologize to him for it all.

"You know I don't blame you for what happened, don't you? I hate that I even tried to make Sophia disappearing seem like it was your fault."

Rick sighed. "If I had just stayed and killed those walkers where they were instead of leading them away, she wouldn't have gotten lost."

"Don't put that on yourself. You did everything you could, and I am so grateful to you for it. If it hadn't been for you and Daryl, I never would have made it this far." She wiped away a tear rolling down her cheek. "You are a caring and loyal friend, and I am so thankful to have you."

Rick sat up to look at her, and she could see the tears glistening in his eyes, just like the day she'd realized that Lori was really gone. He'd lost so much, but she needed to let him know how much he meant to her.

He took her hand in his and squeezed it tightly. "Thank you for being my friend Carol. You don't know what it means to me."

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Carol nodded off not long after her conversation with Rick, but was abruptly woken by Michonne after what felt like only minutes. They both swapped places with the others, but didn't speak much during that time except to work out an idea on where to head next. Carol understood that he was just trying to keep his thoughts together and not focus on things that would distract him from their goal. She'd spent enough time doing the same thing herself, especially when Ed would try to goad her into a fight in front of Sophia. Her mind was always focused on making sure her daughter saw as little violence as possible, despite the fact that she obviously knew what was going on.

_Rick was right. I am a completely different person now._

Once the sun started to rise up over the mountaintop, Rick got the rest of them up and ready to go. Michonne had pulled him aside to talk and it looked like they were working out a strategy together. They all had some breakfast and then got into the truck and headed up further into the mountain. Rick made sure to not drive up anywhere that could get them stranded, and kept an eye on their gas supplies very carefully. They ended up finding a small bait and tackle shop not too far up the path, and Michonne quickly jumped out to go investigate, along with Rick. Carol could tell it had gone well when she noticed them coming back out with huge smiles.

"We've got our ammo." Rick said, holding up a bag full of bullets and assorted artillery. "There was a hidden back room with hunting supplies in the back. Leave it to the fishermen to shoot first and ask questions later."

Carol noticed Michonne was holding what looked like an animal trap of some sort. "What's that for exactly?"

Michonne threw it in the back and climbed into the truck. "You'll see."

Figuring they'd better not press their luck any further, they started heading back down to the main road to look for a consignment shop. They found a strip mall about an hour away with one that looked pretty deserted. Carol was surprised when Michonne grabbed her trap and made a bee line for the pet store next door.

"What the hell is she doing?"

Rick chuckled. "It's an old trick my friend Morgan taught us. She's looking for walker bait."

"Walker _bait_?"

He nodded. "Live animals work best, but since our squirrel wrangler isn't here, we're gonna try something else."

Michonne emerged a few moments later, holding the trap away from her body, with her hand covering her face. It looked like some kind of bloody rodent. The smell was rancid.

"Dear God in heaven…" Tyreese was obviously disgusted.

"Couldn't find any live ones." Michonne said, pinching her nose shut with one hand. "But luckily there were a few fresh dead rats on the floor. Guess they'd gotten in through the walls. Cut 'em up a little so they'd smell the blood." She shrugged. "At least it won't run away."

"Good idea." Rick agreed, shuddering from the smell. "Let's give it a try."

Carol was still completely lost, but she followed them over to the doors and waited. Rick, armed with his Colt Python, opened the doors quietly while Michonne crept in and threw the cage off to the side, then ran back out. Within a few seconds, the walkers inside descended upon the cage and Rick turned back to them.

"I'll cover the front with Michonne. Carol, here's the list. You and Tyreese get in and get what we need, then get back out. Stay together."

Carol nodded, finally grasping the plan, and followed Tyreese up through one of the aisles carefully as the other two took care of the handful of walkers that were still trying to get at the cage. She started picking through the racks of clothes, grabbing anything she could find that would work on a toddler. She was constantly amazed at how fast kids went through clothes when they were young, so she needed to get as many sizes as possible. Throwing her supplies at Tyreese when her hands got full, she continued further back to see if she could find anything for the older kids as well. When both their hands were filled to capacity, she ushered him to go forward to the front of the store while she grabbed an extra set of diapers.

"Okay, I think-"

Without warning, a hand jutted out and grabbed her leg, causing her to stumble and fall. She screamed as the contents in her hands went flying up into the air, and her body made contact with the ground. Despite the bruises she knew would begin to develop on her arms and legs, it was the least of her worries at the moment. The walker that had grabbed her was underneath the racks, trying to turn her into its next meal. It seemed to be missing its legs and one arm, but it had a death grip on her ankle with the other and wasn't planning on giving up easily. She struggled to pull herself up enough to be able to fight back, and Tyreese was just turning back to assist. Finally able to free the other leg, she kicked its head back as hard as she could. She heard a loud crack as the walkers head nearly snapped in half and swung idly from the neck. Apparently she hadn't gotten the brain because it was still snapping its jaws at her, and the grip on her leg hadn't lessened, but it wasn't pulling anymore either. She pried its fingers open enough so that she could pull her leg out and crawled back out from the rack.

"Carol!"

He ran over quickly, scrambling to get her up off the floor so they could keep going, but another walker had come over to join in the fight. There were more in the back coming forward and she knew she had to act fast. Grabbing for Daryl's knife, she ran towards the next closest walker, plunging the blade into its head. It fell back against a shelf nosily.

"Quick! Get the stuff!"

"It's too late!" Tyreese yelled, trying to pull her back with him. "We need to go now!"

"NO!" Carol yanked away. "Get the supplies! I'll hold them off!"

Without another rational thought, she ran directly at the next two coming forward. She kicked the one back against a rack, and both went down. The rack landed point side up and the walker fell directly onto it; piercing its chest and immobilized it. She knocked the second one down and stabbed it multiple times through the head. By the time her brain would let her acknowledge that the monster was really dead, she was completely covered in blood and gore, but had never felt more amazing. Apparently Tyreese was not enjoying this as much as she was.

"Let's go!" He yanked on her arm. "We need to get out!"

She ran back to the things she had dropped and grabbed them up before following him back up to the front of the store. When they got there, Rick and Michonne were both holding off walkers who had lost interest in the dead rats. She knew they must have heard her scream, and Rick looked agitated, but they didn't have much time to dwell on it just then. With the focus of concerned on their current predicament, he pointed at the door and signaled them to get out. Carol dodged a display that had fallen over and ran out the doors to the sidewalk, followed quickly by the others. Once they were all out, Rick pushed the doors shut, blocking them with a large piece of metal from a shelving unit he'd found. As soon as it was secured, Carol collapsed against the brick wall, trying desperately to catch her breath. Rick was hovering over her a second later; a look of anger clearly plastered on his face.

"What the _hell_ happened in there?"

"I'm okay, I swear." She said between gasps. "A walker grabbed at me but I got him. It just took me by surprise."

"Surprise?!" Rick yelled. "In this world, a surprise is as good as a toe tag!"

"If it weren't for her, we never would've gotten out of there." Tyreese defended, looking slightly stunned. "She took down four walkers like it was nothing and still managed to get the supplies. I've never seen anything like it."

Carol couldn't honestly believe it herself, even though she'd just done it. If this had been a test, she had passed it with flying colors. As mad as Rick probably was at her for doing what she did, he didn't chastise her for it either. If anything, he looked at her with more admiration. It was something she wished Daryl would do more often.

"Wish I'd gotten to see that." Michonne said, obviously impressed as well. "We'll have to do a girl's only trip next time."

"That's it." Rick yanked her to her feet and grabbed the clothes. "Trip's over. You've proven yourself and _then_ some. It's time to head back."

"You won't hear any complaints from me." She said with a smile. "I think I've killed enough walkers to last me a year."

"Good." Rick shook his head. "Because if Daryl finds out about this, you won't be going on any more runs for a _LONG_ time."

They threw the rest of the supplies in the back of the truck and Carol changed out of her blood-soaked clothes before they departed. Rick volunteered to drive, and Tyreese estimated that if they headed straight through, they could probably make it back by nightfall. Carol smiled as she stared out the window, watching the scenery fly by. It had been a good trip, but she was more than ready to go home.

**A/N: I'm sure most of you have seen the trailer for the season 4 opener now. Believe it or not, I've had this chapter worked out in my head for months. It just so happens that it actually semi-coincides with what I saw at the beginning of the trailer, which is just insane to me because I never think I'm on the right track with anything, haha. I wasn't sure how they were going to handle having all those people inside the prison for a long period of time either, but apparently that is going to be taken care of pretty early on*gasp*. I didn't have the heart to kill a bunch of old ladies and kids, so I'll let Scott Gimple handle that part for me**** Off to write some more!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hello everyone! **

**I need to send a special shout out to some of my most loyal readers-LadyNebula, Dixonrocks, HGRHfan35, itsi3, peonies01, Peta2, AffairWithACrossbow, and BLulcy-You guys have not let me down, and I thank you for all your kind words and support...it's so much fun to read your reviews too!**

**Anyway, we're going to be back to the duel POV's in this chapter. Carl and Tyreese are also featured in these scenes with them. I especially love the one with Daryl and Carl because I get the impression that on the inside, Daryl feels like a thirteen-year-old boy. He has NO idea how to handle girls or sex or any of it and he's really just trying desperately to sound like he knows what he's doing. I could be wrong, but from what I've heard of Norman Reedus talk about the character, it sounds like that's how he envisions it too. One of my favorite things Norman has ever said was that if a girl ever came up to Daryl and tried to kiss him, he'd be like "EEEEEEE!" Personally, I'd love to teach Daryl a thing or two;) *giggles wickedly***

**Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with The Walking Dead…if I did, their names would go as follows…Dick, Beryl, Mori, Pandrea, Ben, Saggie…j/k**

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Ch9.

Daryl had been lying when he'd told Herschel that he had things he needed to do. Seeing as how his ankle was still useless, he couldn't to a whole hell of a lot of anything. Herschel probably knew that too. Man was too insightful for his own good.

In reality, Daryl just needed to go somewhere to think where he wouldn't be interrupted. He'd never been more confused in his whole life. The sudden change in feelings for Carol was driving up the damn wall. It wasn't like he hadn't looked at her before, but now it was different.

It was too real.

Finding a place to go hide by himself was the tough part. He knew that Rick had mentioned something about finding another section of the prison when he was cleaning up more blocks recently, but he didn't know exactly where he'd meant. Daryl wasn't stupid enough to just go roaming around the place on his own either. He made his way out to the side of the prison where the storage dock was. He guessed it was where they brought in supplies for the prisoners. It wasn't too far from the main area, but it was far enough where he wouldn't have to worry about anyone looking for him. Not that anyone would actually be looking. The one person who'd care if he went missing wasn't even around.

If he could just go out and go hunting again, maybe he could make some sense of all of it. That's when he did most of his thinking, even though most people probably thought he was just out there trying to kill things. It was a skill, but it also helped him focus on what was important. He could put things in perspective out there in the woods. Right now, he felt more than useless. Daryl had considered himself a lot of things in the past, but one thing he'd never been was lazy. Sitting around waiting for something to happen wasn't in his nature at all. In fact, it almost bothered him more than the thought of Carol out on the road.

After a good hour of sitting around trying to figure things out, he still didn't know what the fuck to do. Maybe if Rick was here, he could get some insight. He was about the only other person Daryl trusted not to laugh his ass off about the whole thing. At least he knew what it was like to have women issues. Lori'd given him all sorts of problems back when she and Shane were still alive. Daryl didn't know the whole story, but he'd gotten the impression that Lori thought that Asskicker may not have been Rick's baby. He'd seen her with Shane before they discovered that Rick was still alive, and knew damn well that something had been going on there. Guess anything was possible, but either way, she was his responsibility now.

Daryl always figured that if he ever hooked up with someone with a kid, he'd treat them like his own. Wasn't the kid's fault their parents couldn't make things work. Hell, he would've been grateful for his own mom to go off and find a nice guy that'd treat them right. For a moment, Daryl actually found himself wondering if Sophia would've minded if her mama had ended up with a guy like him. He really hadn't spoken to her much when she was alive, but he got the impression that she wasn't too impressed by him. Maybe she had been scared of him after all. Then again, maybe she thought that he was no better than her daddy.

He hadn't exactly made a good first impression back at the camp, but he also hadn't cared what people thought of him back then. He hadn't planned on sticking around long enough for anyone to find out. When Merle disappeared, the plan had changed. It took Daryl a while to realize that he wanted to be in the group. Sophia going missing was almost like his chance to prove himself to them. He'd told Carol that he was out looking for her daughter because he didn't have anything else better to do, but that wasn't the whole truth. He just hadn't figured it out yet.

_It's about the only thing I _have_ figured out._

His head was starting to hurt again. Too much thinking would do that to ya. Deciding he'd had enough quiet time, Daryl headed back outside. He needed to find something else to do to occupy his time until they got back. As he made his way back out to the blacktop, he noticed that Carl was on watch duty with his Beretta holstered at his side. Poor kid had to have been dying in the heat, but if he was, he sure wasn't letting on about it. Carl turned around just as he approached; peeking out from underneath his hat.

"Hey Daryl. How's the ankle?"

"Been better." He walked up to the fence. "How long you been out here?"

"Not long. It's getting hot though."

"Sure is."

"Were you in the prison?"

"I was at the storage dock." He admitted. "Just trying to kill some time."

"You worried about the others too?"

"Naw." He lied. "Just bored. Can't do much of anything I wanna be doing."

"I know that feeling." Carl laughed. "Every time I find something fun to do, someone's yelling at me to stop."

"Well I won't do that to ya."

"Thanks."

Daryl played with the sleeve of his shirt. "You seen Beth today? I know she was wantin' some help with those kids earlier."

"No, and I don't wantto see her."

Daryl was surprised by his irritation. "Why?"

Carl huffed. "Because she thinks of me like one of those kids in her class. She's more interested in _men_ now."

Daryl remembered how Carol had said that Beth was developing a crush on him. Carl obviously knew about it and wasn't taking it well. As much as he wanted to laugh it off, the last thing he needed was another person mad at him.

"You know I don't think about her like that, right?"

Carl sighed heavily and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah…I guess."

"She may not want to think it, but she's still a kid herself." Daryl looked down at him. "Can't imagine what it's like to have to grow up in all of this. I had a shitty childhood and that was _before_ the world went to hell."

"Yeah well, it sucks." Carl said dryly. "My dad says it'll get easier, but I don't know if I trust him anymore."

"Your dad's doin' the best job he can. Man's got a lot on his shoulders."

"I know."

"And you're doing a great job guardin' the place too." Daryl added. "Been a big help to everyone with it."

"I like it best out here by myself."

He chuckled. "Yeah I hear that."

"Is that why you've been hiding in our tent?"

Daryl couldn't put anything past this kid. "Yeah, I guess. Thinking 'bout moving back in for a while though. There's no shade down there and it's getting awful hot."

"You could share Carol's bunk. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"How'd you know she wouldn't mind?"

"Cause I've seen how she looks at you."

"And how's that?"

Carl grinned. "Like she wants to get you alone and rip all your clothes off."

Daryl snorted. "That's bull."

"It's true! She told my mom one time!"

He made a face. "You being a peepin' tom or somethin'?"

"No, it was an accident. I overheard them talking one night back at camp." Carl replayed the scene. "They thought I was playing with Sophia, but I came back to get a drink. They were in the tent and I heard Carol tell my mom that she wanted to take you somewhere and rip off your clothes. Then they started laughing."

Damn, this kid was gonna make him blush. "She probably just wanted to scrub me down 'cause I tracked mud into the RV or somethin'."

"That's not what it sounded like to me."

"Yeah well…mind your own business."

Carl looked up at him hesitantly. "So you and Carol aren't together then?"

"No. Why?"

"Cause I see you look at her sometimes too."

Daryl scoffed. "I'm allowed to look at people ain't I?"

"But you care about her, right?"

Hell, this was uncomfortable. He should've just hid for the rest of the night. "Yeah, I guess."

Carl paused. "You should tell her. She'd want to know."

He squinted. "You tell Beth how you felt?"

"Yeah."

"How'd that go?"

"She said she wanted to be friends."

"Trust me, it'd end the same way for me. Maybe worse."

Carl looked up at him. "In the end it didn't go the way I wanted, but I'm still glad I was man enough to tell her." He paused. "You should tell Carol because you want to. Damn the consequences."

Daryl was slightly shocked by his statement, and quickly realized that this was no boy standing next to him. Carl was smarter and braver than most of the grown men he'd ever met. Rick had nothing to worry about as far as he was concerned. His son was gonna be an honest man.

"Maybe I'll take your advice someday."

"You should."

Daryl pushed against the fence. "As soon as my ankle heals up, I'm taking you out for another trackin' lesson."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"I'm ready." Carl said confidently. "I promise I'll make you proud."

Daryl smiled and pushed his hat down over his face. "You know, Beth's gonna regret what she said to you. She's missin' out on one helluva guy."

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Carol had been exhausted, both mentally and physically after the walker battle. She slept most of the way back, but the last hour or so she started feeling more refreshed and even found herself volunteering to drive the rest of the way back. Rick happily handed over the keys; looking as drained as she was. He hopped in the back and went to sleep aside of Michonne, who had been out for most of the trip herself. Tyreese kept her company for the remainder of the trip, which was a nice change. She'd realized that she'd never really gotten the chance to talk to him like she'd planned to a few days ago. They didn't speak much at first, but eventually she managed to strike up a conversation.

"So, I hope I didn't scare you too bad back there." She said looking over at him wearily. "I really wasn't trying to get us killed. I just went into survival mode."

"I believe you." He replied. "I'll admit I did panic when I saw that one had grabbed you. I thought you'd gotten bit for sure. That's why I was trying to get us out."

"Well, I appreciate you trying to help instead of running out the door screaming." She joked.

Tyreese chuckled. "Trust me, that's what I wanted to do."

"Well, I won't tell Sacha about your moment of weakness."

"Well, I plan to tell everyone I know how you kicked butt and took names. Sure you weren't a ninja in another lifetime?"

She shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe I was."

"Well, for what it's worth, you're a warrior in my book."

Carol smiled. It was nice to have someone look at her with appreciation and confidence again. For too many years, she'd undervalued herself, and it had nearly ruined her life. She was about to thank Tyreese for his words of encouragement when she heard a noise from the back seat. Looking up at the rearview mirror, she noticed that Michonne had somehow drifted over to the side and was now resting her head against Rick's shoulder. Rick was still asleep, but he definitely wasn't annoyed by the intrustion.

"Did I miss something?" She gestured to them while Tyreese looked back. "Do you get the idea that something's going on with them?"

Tyreese shrugged. "I don't know honestly. They do seem to like to go out and kill things together."

"I have a hard time picturing them together." Carol said honestly. "I want them both to be happy, don't get me wrong. She's just so…on guard all the time."

"I think she's got a lot on her shoulders, just like Rick."

"True. Maybe there's a bond there we can't see."

"Kinda like you and Daryl…" She didn't need to look over to know that Tyreese had a smirk on his face. "I know you said that you two weren't together, but no man looks at a woman the way he looks at you without having feelings for her."

Carol was starting to wonder if Rick had put him up to this, but she knew he wasn't the only one saying it. Everyone at some time or another had pointed out to her that Daryl's actions definitely meant something more than what he was saying. Why couldn't she let herself believe it was true?

"Yeah, well….it's…"

"Complicated, I remember."

"I know that sounds like an excuse." Carol sighed. "But I was married to a man whose only enjoyment in the world was torturing me and my daughter. Daryl comes from a similar background. We just get each other."

"Makes sense." He nodded. "But now both of you are too scared to make a move in fear that it'll go south just like last time."

"Okay…so maybe it's not _that_ complicated…"

"Bottom line…" Tyreese looked at her genuinely. "You both deserve a chance at some happiness again. Just because the world imploded on itself doesn't mean that you deserve to live a lonely, miserable existence. Life is what you make it, and I know if it was me, I'd take any scrap of joy I could find and never let it go."

Carol took in what he said, but tried not to take it too much to heart. She would have loved to have acted on her feelings, but if she did there was a good chance that Daryl would pull away from her permanently. Whatever had happened to him previously, it had left a big scar.

"You're very wise. Were you a Minister by any chance?"

Tyreese chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah. I was a bouncer at a club, and I worked part time as a car salesman."

"So you've seen your share of conflicts then."

He laughed from deep within, so much so that it was contagious. "That I have…that I have."

Their commotion seemed to have woken up Rick, who seemed more than a little surprised to see Michonne's head on his shoulder as he tried to stretch. Carol watched his actions from the mirror and laughed. She imagined that Daryl would've had a very similar reaction himself.

"We'll be back soon." She informed him. "Tyreese and I were just practicing some jokes to warm up the crowd."

"Apparently I missed some good ones." Rick said leaning back again. "You'll have to fill me in."

**A/N: Oh, I just saw a deleted scene from Season 3 (which I'm sure will be on the DVD…come on August 27****th****!) and it was of Carol talking to Merle. I have to say that I wish they'd shown it on the show instead of getting rid of it because it confirms**_** everything **_**about Carol that I have been trying to get through in this story. I won't give away what happens, but let's just say that Carol makes her feelings to Merle VERY clear and really drives it home. I suggest looking it up on YouTube immediately and watch the awesomeness!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Happy Monday people! Big shout out to my ever-growing list of readers…you guys rock!**

**So this is probably the chapter most of you have been waiting for…Carol's returning back to the prison and Daryl's finally ready to confront her about all the stuff that's been going around in his head. It gets preeeetty intense**** While I want nothing more than to keep my fans happy, I also like to keep you on your toes, so I've done something a little evil. *chuckles ominously* **

**This is technically a two-part chapter, and it ends on something of a cliffhanger. That being said, I have a challenge for you. If I get, let's say…..ten reviews and/or messages in the next twenty-four hour period, I will release the second chapter the following day at the same time so that you don't have to wait in suspense for TOO long. I hope that's a reasonable request. Seeing as how I got at least that many from the last chapter alone, I don't see it being a problem, but DON'T SLACK! I want to know what you guys are thinking…good, bad, or indifferent. So far it's been nothing but love all around, so I truly appreciate that. I actually got scolded in class last week for laughing out loud at a comment someone sent me while I was supposed to be working on a project**** Thank god I get straight A's! LOL**

**Okay enough about me. It's Caryl time! Get ready, set, aaaaannnnddd…READ!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the awesomeness that is The Walking Dead or any of its affiliates. I sadly wasn't that ingenious.**

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Ch10.

The sun was rapidly disappearing into the sky when Carol finally saw the road leading back to the prison. A few minutes later, they spotted the large concrete building and she honked to get their attention. Glenn and Carl came running down to greet them and get the gate open. Carol thought she had never been so happy to see a gated structure in her whole life.

"Dad!"

Carl ran over smiling as Rick immediately opened the door and enveloped him in a hug. Carol missed those moments with Sophia the most. A hug from her daughter could make even the worst situations feel not so bad. She got a lump in her throat knowing that she'd never be able to have one of those moments again.

"You drive up." Rick gestured. "I'll walk back with Carl."

Carol nodded and headed up to the prison block with the rest. When she got there, she was surprised to see many of the people from both groups coming outside to greet them. They all seemed happy that they'd made it back in one piece. As happy as she was to see them, she noticed very quickly that there was one prominent person missing.

"Welcome back." Hershel said, moving back so Carol could open her door and get out. "You are a sight for sore eyes, my dear."

She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I missed you too. It's good to be back."

"How did everything go?"

"We got a great stash this time." She said happily. "Lots of medical supplies. Even brought back some special things just for you."

"I'm sure it'll make me happier than a dog with a bone." He said heartily.

She scanned the crowd, but there was no sign of Daryl. Hershel picked up on it immediately.

"The man you're looking for…" He gestured towards the prison. "Is inside somewhere. Think I said something to him earlier that sorta ruffled his feathers. He disappeared after that, but I don't think he's gone back down to the tent either."

"Thanks." She nodded, excusing herself to go look for him. "Oh, ask some of the men to help unload, will you?"

"I'll get right on it."

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Carol ran for the door; her stomach churning nervously. Her mind always went to a very bad place when someone said the word 'disappeared'. This was a big prison, and there were any number of rooms he could be hiding in, but the same could be said for a walker. Daryl knew how to defend himself, but it didn't keep her from worrying.

She made her way over to the areas she'd assumed he might be in. She checked the boiler room, the pantry, and the maintenance station, all of which were empty. Maybe he'd started going through cells like Merle had, trying to find hidden objects. He didn't seem to have a preference for drugs, but an injured man could do desperate things.

She wound her way around until she was back at C block again and ran up to the first row of cells on the second level. Where could he be? He used to stay on the perch, but none of his things were there. How could anyone lose sight of him like this? Someone should have noticed pretty quickly on that he wasn't around. He wasn't exactly a mute when it came to being around a large crowd of people.

_You need to calm down right now. You're overreacting. He's fine._

Suddenly it dawned on her. Maybe Rick was right. Maybe he had left. It might have been possible for him to sneak away when no one was looking, but why would he do that? After everything they'd been through together, would he just take off? Carol felt her heart break at the suddenly real possibility. She'd thought they'd actually been getting somewhere. Now there was a good chance that she'd never get to find out.

_No, he wouldn't have done that. He's gotta be here somewhere._

Trying to pull herself back together, she walked back towards the perch to head down to the lower level. He wouldn't have left without his knife, and he sure as hell wouldn't have slunk away like a low life. As she walked down the slope where the rooms were, she heard a noise and stopped dead in her tracks. Something, or _someone,_ was in her room. Hoping against hope, she poked her head inside, nearly in disbelief at what she was seeing.

Daryl was curled up on her bed, sleeping soundly.

Relief rushed through her as she walked over to him, taking it all in. He was snoring lightly and there was a book wedged between his arm and the pillow. Had he been sleeping in here since she left? The image of it filled her with unexpected happiness. She'd already forgotten the anxiety she'd been feeling not a moment before. Very slowly, she leaned over to brush his hair out of his face. His eyes popped open as soon as she touched him.

"Hey." She said softly, not wanting to spook him. "We just got back."

Daryl sat up sleepily. "How'd it go?"

"Good. We got the supplies." She smiled. "Tyreese's bet paid off."

"What's on your neck?"

Carol was thrown off by the look of alarm on his face. She reached up, realizing that when she'd changed her clothes, she forgotten to wipe off the blood spatter from the walker battle.

"Oh, it's just-"

"You got attacked didn't you?" He immediately jumped off the bed to examine her. "When?"

"We did a run earlier in the day at a shop and one grabbed me, but I-"

"You're covered in bruises." He said angrily, inspecting her arms and legs. "What the hell'd you do? _Throw _yourself at it?"

"No. It tripped me and I hit the floor."

"Tripped you?"

"It was underneath a rack." She pulled her arm away from him. "Daryl, I'm fine."

"Where was Rick?"

"What?"

He spoke slowly. "Where. Was. Rick."

"He and Michonne were handling things in the front while Tyreese and I-"

"He stayed with Michonne and left you to go off with that asshole?!" He was practically foaming at the mouth. "He and I are gonna have words."

"We were working together in teams!" She defended, blocking his path. "You know that there's always a risk no matter how many people are involved!"

"Tyreese didn't get attacked though, did he!?" Daryl scoffed. "Figures…"

"You know I just spent the last ten minutes searching this whole prison for you? No one knew where you were!"

"I don't need a damn bodyguard."

Carol scoffed at his double standard. "Oh, so you can go off by yourself and I shouldn't worry, but when I do it, that's somehow different!?"

"I can handle myself!"

"What do you think I was _trying_ to do?!"

"Probably makin' eyes at your new boyfriend." He said acidly. "No doubt he ended up havin' to save your ass when I wasn't there to do it!"

"Actually…" They both turned; startled when they heard a deep voice by the door. It was Tyreese. "She was the one who saved both our lives."

Carol immediately realized that he had heard their whole conversation, and she was thoroughly embarrassed. "Tyreese, I'm so sorry-"

"No need to apologize." He acknowledged, looking back to Daryl. "You have one hell of a lady there. No need to worry that she doesn't know how to handle herself. If you'd seen her today, you'd have no doubts. You're a very lucky man."

Daryl looked like he was holding back one hell of a comment, but when he finally spoke; Carol was absolutely dumbfounded by what came out.

"I know."

Tyreese handed Carol's bag over to her and nodded to Daryl before walking away. She gaped at the now empty door frame for a moment before looking back at him. He wouldn't look up at her now. He knew he'd crossed a line.

"You should go apologize to him."

"For what?"

She crossed her arms. "For being a complete asshole for one thing…"

"Is it true?" He spoke so softly she could barely hear him.

"Is what true?"

Daryl looked up. "What he said. Is it true you saved him?"

She softened. "I guess."

"You guess?"

Carol sighed deeply. She hadn't been planning on filling him in on the grittier parts of the trip. "Do you really want to know?"

He leaned against the bunk. "Wouldn't be askin' if I didn't."

She braced herself. "We were in a store getting supplies and I got pulled under one of the racks by a walker. I kicked its head in and stabbed two others. Tyreese tried to grab me but another one was coming for us and I knocked it down and…it got impaled on the rack."

Daryl stared at her silently, taking in what she'd said. As tired as she was of arguing with him, she knew he wasn't going to stay silent on this one. A moment went by, and to her amazement, he didn't say anything at all. She was absolutely flabbergasted when a small grin crept up on his face. Was he actually pleased with the image of her having to defend herself?

"Too bad the walker got in the way." He said with a chuckle. "If you weren't busy, maybe you coulda knocked the stick out of Tyreese's ass."

If he wasn't careful, she was going to end up using her newly honed skills on him. "Real funny."

He huffed. "I know I overreacted. Just didn't expect to see you come back all covered in bruises."

"It's not like I've never had one before." She smiled. "I'll live, I promise."

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." He mumbled; his focus suddenly on the floor. "Guess you proved yourself after all."

As relieved as Carol was to hear him say it, she was also questioning exactly what he was apologizing for. He seemed all right with how she'd handled things, but maybe in the heat of the moment, he'd said something he hadn't meant.

"Are you sorry for what you said to Tyreese?"

Daryl's head came up again, but this time it was in confusion. "What'd ya mean?"

"You told him that you knew you were lucky to have me. Are you sorry you said it now?"

He seemed disoriented by the question. "I don't know."

"It's okay if you don't really feel that way." She tried to assure him. "I figured you were just trying to get him to back off."

"You tell him we were together?"

"No."

"Then why'd he say it?"

She smirked, remembering their talk in the car. "Maybe he saw something we didn't."

Daryl was looking directly at her now, and she could've sworn she could see the gears in his head turning. There might as well just have been a cartoon angel on one shoulder, and a devil on the other. Maybe she had gone too far. She hadn't wanted to upset him. Was it really too much to ask that he just tell her what he felt? He didn't seem to have a problem doing it with anyone else but her.

As desperate as she was not to have him pull away, she suddenly realized where she stood. One way or another…good or bad…she needed to know. He must have sensed it, because his face began to change. While he had looked hopelessly perplexed a moment ago; he was now looking back with complete and utter determination.

"Come on. Let's get the hell outta here."

**A/N: All right…let's see some reviews people! Make me happy!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hello lovelies!**

**As most of you know, I presented you all with a challenge for me with the last chapter to see how many reviews I could get before I released the next one…as expected, you guys BLEW ME AWAY! **

**I asked for ten, and I got close to double that, so HUGE THANKS to everyone…Peta2, HGRHfan35, Dixonrocks, marybethorama, Lisab876, AffairWithACrossbow, tyffany86, vickih, Blulcy, earthbound68, hillaryn, Rodgerse, ****maawwge, Buckismith, and carylfan, and all my followers…**

**YOU GUYS ARE ****AWESOME!**

**As promised, here is the second chapter….enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead…I do however own a Mrs. Daryl Dixon t-shirt, which I wore in the presence of Norman Reedus**

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Ch11.

Daryl was officially out of his fucking mind.

One minute he'd been sound asleep; then the next thing he knew, Carol was standing in front of him covered in blood and bruises. He probably scared her something good, but she should've known better than to wake him up. Sleeping bears don't play nice when provoked.

Of course he'd lost it. It was obvious she'd had a run-in with a walker. Did she really expect him to just be fine with it? He _definitely_ hadn't liked the answer she'd given him when he asked where Rick had been. How could he let her go off with Tyreese on her own? He'd promised he'dkeep her safe, not hand her off to some douchebag who probably ran out the door the minute the shit hit the fan! Of course she'd tried to defend him. He'd probably laid on a line of bullshit and cozied right on up to her the minute they got into the mountains.

They were as thick and thieves now, no doubt.

She'd tried to throw him off, claiming she couldn't find him when she got back. How hard could she have looked? He was right there in her damn room. After he was done talking to Carl, he'd decided to go check and see if she had any good books he could read. He knew she'd gotten a bunch of them from the prison library once they'd been able to clear the space out. She'd been bugging him for months to read something, so it seemed like as good a way as any to kill some time. Too bad he'd conked out before he got a chance to really get into anything good. If he'd known that he'd have to wake up to this, he wouldn't have even bothered. It was still so fucking hard for him to let her have her way, even now.

_Probably cause you can't stand to be wrong._

To top the whole damn thing off, that asshole appeared in the door to back her up! It was like they'd planned it or something. He'd been planning to throw every insult he had at the oversized man, but Tyreese's comment stopped him dead in his tracks.

_**She was the one who saved both our lives…you're a very lucky man.**_

Carol had saved him? This wasn't adding up. And where the hell had that comment come from about him being lucky? Had she told him they were together? Even if she hadn't, Daryl wasn't going to back down from the challenge. He'd made sure his response got the point across tenfold. Tyreese seemed to have gotten the picture, but Carol looked like she wanted to smack him clear into next week.

So maybe it hadn't been the right thing to say.

Daryl assumed she'd been thankful, but instead she scolded him like he was ten-years-old again. Figuring maybe he could distract her, he decided to question what Tyreese had said. He couldn't believe what she told him.

She hadn't just taken on one walker….there'd been four of em!

As pissed as he still was about Rick leaving her alone like that, he got a kick out of hearing how she handled the situation. She'd immediately assumed he'd start yelling, and in a way he wanted to, but not for the reason she thought. He'd wanted to see her in action. If his ankle hadn't been slowing him down, he could've been there to back her up. Even in his envy, he'd gotten a big kick out of imagining the whole thing in his head. The scenario got even more amusing when he replaced the image of the walker's head with Tyreese's in his mind. Carol hadn't taken well to that comment either, and he figured he probably did owe them both an apology, but suddenly she looked defeated.

_**Are you sorry for what you said to Tyreese?**_

He hadn't understood her at first but then he got it. She wanted to know if he was sorry he'd let Tyreese think they were a couple. He really hadn't thought it through past the point of wanting to get rid of the sorry bastard. She probably thought he was jealous.

Hell…he _was_ jealous.

With everything that had happened in the last week, it was all backing up in his head. He'd planned to sit her down and talk it out when she got back, but that sure wasn't working out either. He knew one thing-there was no way in hell he was going to confess anything to her within earshot of the others. He needed a place to take her where they could be alone. She was staring at him now, waiting for him to make a move. He knew this was his chance.

_It's now or never…balls to the wall. _

"Come on. Let's get the hell outta here."

He'd grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the cell, down the perch steps and through the main door. He wasn't even sure where the hell he was going, or how far he could get with his foot all messed up, but she was questioning him neither. He needed to find somewhere they could go that no one would interrupt them. Wherever they ended up, he knew it was going to end one of two ways.

Either she was gonna tell him to go to hell and stomp on his manhood, or they were about to go into some _majorly_ unchartered territory.

The Governor had shot up and destroyed most of the guard towers when he'd attacked, but there was still one that wasn't too shot up. He threw open the door, cursing out the two walkers who were hanging out by the gates, and yanked her inside. After two flights of stairs, his ankle was screaming and Carol was practically ready to fall over, but they'd made it. He turned to look at her, but the minute he realized what he was about to do, he panicked.

"Daryl, before you-"

"You know I can't give you what you want." He spat out before she had a chance to argue. "You want some knight in shining armor bullshit, but that ain't me and it never will be."

She huffed. "That's not what I want at all."

"You'd be better off with Rick or Tyreese. You need someone who'll always be there for ya and say the right things."

Carol looked amused. "If I wanted to be with Rick or Tyreese, don't you think I would've made a move already?"

He shrugged. "Maybe you're scared they don't feel that way back."

"Or maybe_ you _are."

"I ain't scared of nothin'."

"Really?" She crossed her arms. "Then why are we up here and away from everyone else?"

Daryl's plan was rapidly falling apart. "Just…needed some air is all."

"And you thought I could use some too? How thoughtful of you."

He scoffed. "You act like you know me, but you don't."

She took a step towards him. "I know you a lot better than you think I do."

"Oh yeah?" He was trying desperately to figure out what the hell he was doing. It wasn't working. "Then what's so great about me?"

"You're loyal…you're honest to a fault…you don't take crap from anybody."

He made a face. "You're basically just called me a dependable asshole."

"Those are your words, not mine."

"Don't matter anyway." He shuffled his feet. "I'm still no good for ya."

Carol sighed. "Daryl, I'm not the same woman you met at that camp site two years ago, am I?"

He chuckled at the notion. "Definitely not."

"Well you're not the same guy I met either." She walked over to look out the window. "When you were around Merle, you were a different person. As soon as he disappeared, you stepped up and became a member of the group." She looked back. "I know you want to put yourself down, but you can talk until you're blue in the face, because I'll never believe it for a second."

Daryl struggled with his thoughts. "S'not like I couldn't be that guy again if I wanted to."

"But now you have people depending on you. Everyone counts on you because they know you'll be there, and I know that means something to you." She sighed. "You've proven yourself to_ everyone_ except the person who matters most."

Damn. She had him pegged. He'd never been this close to letting someone else in, and it was starting to scare the shit out of him. He ran his hands over his face and through his hair.

"This ain't goin' the way I planned it."

Carol looked amused. "You had a plan?"

"Sorta. Had a lot of time on my hands while you were gone."

She walked back over to where he stood. "I know you didn't want me to go on the trip, but as much as I hate to admit it, I think I went out there for you as much as I did for myself. I wanted you to be proud of me."

Daryl was stunned to say the least. "I was proud of ya. Still am."

"Then let me be proud of you too."

"Ain't done nothin' to be proud of."

"Daryl, you are the smartest, bravest, and most honorable man I know. That's something to be proud of."

As much as he wanted to argue back with her, he knew they'd just end up going round and round in circles. He'd never be okay with admitting that he was something worthwhile. He knew the minute he did, he'd do something to let someone down. Up until he'd met Carol and the group, he'd never cared what anyone thought. Now he cared too much.

"Remember what you said about feelin' like you deserved the abuse?"

"Yes."

He took a deep breath. "Well I can't _stop_ feelin' it."

Carol walked forward until she was right in front of him. He braced himself for anything. For all he knew, she was gonna slap him, but instead, she reached out for his hand.

"You really want to know why I want to be with you?"

"Why?"

"Because you look at me like a woman, and not like a battered wife who isn't worth your time. You look at me with trust and honesty. You know exactly what I'm feeling most of the time even if you can't say it out loud. Those things mean more to me that anything."

Daryl looked her right in the eyes and he knew she wasn't trying to mess with him. "We're fighters. We gotta stick together."

"I believe that some things are worth fighting for. This is me fighting for you Daryl Dixon. I need you to fight back for me."

Daryl sucked in a deep breath when she took his hand in hers and raised it to her lips. It was the tiniest kiss, but it felt like it had reached down deep within his bones. This woman had just broken down every damn barrier he'd ever had up and he was reeling from it. The internal struggle was over. She'd made him want to care.

There was no walking away now.

Making up his mind within seconds, he pushed up from the wall and grasped her face with his free hand, drawing her forward until their lips crashed together. It must've caught her by surprise because she seemed to freeze up at first, but then she was actually kissing him back. Damn, it was amazing. Her skin was smooth like he'd always imagined it'd be; compared to his own. Her lips were soft too. She wrapped her arms around his biceps tightly like she was afraid she'd fall over. He grabbed her waist, pulling her as close as she could get. After another moment or two, she started pulled away.

"Whoa..." Her hand coming up against his chest as she gasped from the lack of air. "I'm sorry. I haven't done this in a long time. My tolerance isn't what it used to be."

Daryl nodded, panting himself. It had been fucking awesome, but he wasn't about to say it out loud. He'd already made himself look like an ass more than once today.

"So does this mean that you're feeling more confident?" She grinned at him teasingly.

He shrugged. "You could say that."

"You know what we need right now?"

He had no clue. His brain was mush. "What?"

She leaned in again, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I think we need some more practice."

To his shock, she took the lead this time, urging his lips to move with hers. They seemed to have a good rhythm going and he was doing his best to keep up with her. He'd only done this a handful of times in his whole life, and most of those times, he'd also been _insanely_ drunk. Just as he was starting to question his technique, he heard her moan against his mouth. Okay, so maybe he wasn't so bad at this after all. Suddenly, her tongue ran lightly across his bottom lip.

Holy fuck, that was fantastic.

She pushed her body up against his, and he leaned back against the wall in response. She wasn't leaving very few gaps in between them now. If she kept this up, he was gonna have a _lot_ more explaining to do. They tussled for another moment; tongues clashing in a way that made his blood boil. How had he gone through life this long without something this amazing?

"Damn…" He pulled back first this time as his lungs tried desperately to suck in more oxygen. "You may be the death of me yet."

Carol laughed; her arms still around him tightly. "Well here's to a blissful afterlife."

Shit…didn't that pretty much say it all.

**A/N: And there you have it folks! There's more to come of course, but I'll let this sink in for a while first *hehe***

**I'm so happy that everyone is loving this story…trust me, it's a labor of love for me. I haven't done anything this extensive in YEARS, so it's awesome to know that people are reading and reacting right along with me. I'd also like to give a shout out to my English teacher, Mr. Reazor, for allowing me to bring my obsession into the classroom and write about my experience of meeting Norman Reedus as an assignment, and telling me to pursue my writing. We all need someone to inspire us!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Good day lovely readers! Hope you're having a wonderful weekend:)**

**So I got the impression that most of you were moderately appeased with my last chapter…oh hell, who am I kidding? YOU LOVED IT RIGHT? Thought so! I think even Melissa and Norman would have been impressed by the amount of fan support Caryl received. I'm going to be completely honest with you guys…I did something with chapter 11 I have never done before…**

**An hour before I posted it, I re-wrote half the chapter...(gasps from the crowd)**

**Weeeellll that's only partially true…****I definitely added a lot more dialogue to the story. It was very wham, bam, thank you ma'am before but I thought maybe Daryl needed more time to hash out his feelings. Plus, if the chapters are too short, then they're over too quickly. Nothing like waiting for something major to happen and then having it be over in two seconds…I HATE that!**

**Anyway, onto chapter 12. There were no re-writes in this chapter at all. In fact, this is my absolutely favorite thing I have EVER written. No joke. This is probably the best you guys will ever get out of me.**

**Actually, this was the most fun I've ever had writing a chapter. ****The scene with Glenn and Daryl is an absolute hoot. I recommend putting down any food or drink you may be consuming before reading because I can't guarantee that you won't end up doing a spit-take by the end. Then again, if you've always wanted to try a spit-take, but never had the chance before now...GO FOR IT! Who am I to spoil the fun?**

**Either way, hope you all enjoy it as much as I did when I was writing it! Live long and Caryl on! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Walking Dead…blah blah blah…**

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Ch12.

Daryl was in deep shit. It had been a week since he'd taken Carol up to the tower to finally work out their aggressions, but he'd been avoiding her for nearly as long. It wasn't easy to do with a bum ankle, but he'd been pretty creative about it. At least it'd stopped hurting him now, so he was able to get around better now.

He _wished_ he could say the same about his other predicament.

The night in the tower had been pretty damn amazing. Maybe a little too amazing though, because by the time they'd left to go back into the prison, Daryl's flag was nearly flying at full mast. It was a hell of a way to end the night. Carol had tried to convince him to stay with her until the heat died down, but he knew he wouldn't sleep a wink if he did. He'd barely made it back down to his tent in one piece. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her off, so he figured he'd better stay outside just in case. They said cold showers worked the best, but that wasn't exactly an option. He'd just had to take his chances with the heat and hoped that it would keep his mind occupied.

It worked for a while, but then the dreams started again. They were a far cry from PG-13. He couldn't believe how much it was affecting him. Sometime, he could actually feel her _doing _things to him. At one point, he'd really thought that she'd come back down from the prison to surprise him, but the only surprise he'd found was that he'd pitched a damn tent in his pants.

One thing was for sure-he hadn't been getting much sleep since then.

He knew he couldn't avoid her forever, but every time he imagined the situation in his head, all he could see was her laughing at him. As much as he wanted to be with her, he couldn't handle it if she laughed. So he just hid instead. It was fucking crazy. What the hell had he thought that he could contribute to a grown-up relationship with a woman?

_A lot of awkward moments for one thing. _

It wouldn't have been so bad if he had any damn idea what he was doing. If he didn't talk to her soon, he was gonna have an irate woman on his hands to deal with. She was with her class right now. He'd made sure of it before he even attempted to come back inside the prison. It was his turn to take watch duty too, so he should be free and clear for a while. He spotted Glenn up on the catwalk and made his way around the entrance. The guy looked like he'd seen better days.

"I'm here to take your shift like I promised."

Glenn turned to look at him. "You don't have to. I need to keep myself occupied anyway."

"I'm lookin' to do the same thing." Daryl realized. "Mind if I stay up here with ya?"

"If you want."

Daryl looked over at him. "So what are you avoiding?"

Glenn scoffed. "I didn't say I was avoiding anything."

Daryl wasn't an idiot. "Pretty obvious you are."

"I'm just…" He paused, looking for the right words. "I'm confused."

"'Bout what?"

"I'd rather not talk about it."

Daryl relented; knowing couldn't say anything against him. If he didn't want to talk, then they wouldn't talk. But as he turned to look out over the other side of the prison, Glenn caved.

"It's Maggie." He sighed. "She wants to have a baby."

Daryl chuckled. If he'd been looking for advice, he'd barked up the wrong tree.

"Guessin' you don't want that?"

"It's not that I don't want it. I just don't think it's safe."

"Cause of what happened to Lori?"

Glenn made a face. "It's more that I'm worried we wouldn't be able to protect it. We've been lucky to stay here as long as we have, but I don't expect it to last forever. I'm already worried about what will happen to Maggie out there. I can't add a baby to that mix."

Daryl didn't have to be a father to understand where he was coming from. "I get it. I worry about Asskicker too. Lil' babies out in the wild wouldn't last long."

"She thinks I'm being an ass about it, but I just don't want to lose anyone else."

"I'm sure she'll come 'round."

"I guess." Glenn shrugged before looking back at him. "So what are you avoiding?"

Daryl threw him a look. "What d'ya think?"

"Carol? Why?"

"It's a long story."

He chuckled. "Did she try to give you a bath again?"

Daryl scoffed. "I wish. More like she wants something I can't give her."

"Let me guess. A commitment."

"Pretty much."

Glenn glanced awkwardly in his direction. "We all know you care about her. It's not a big deal."

"That's not it."

"I'll be happy to try and help you if you can give me a clue."

Daryl looked back at him. There weren't many people in the world that he could really talk to about this kinda stuff. He could probably go to Rick for some sympathy, but he'd had more than his share of burdens lately. While he and Glenn had never gotten real personal before, he knew Glenn definitely had his share of women's troubles. Maybe he could work it out.

"You have to swear to me that you won't laugh, or so help me, I will fucking _shoot_ your ass."

Glenn put his arms up in mock surrender. "I swear."

Daryl took a deep breath. "I get…excited when I'm around her."

Glenn's eyes got wide for a moment, like he was picturing the whole damn scene in his head. A smiled crept up on his face and Daryl knew what was coming next. He lifted his crossbow and pointed it straight at Glenn's backside.

"WHOA!" He jumped back, getting very serious. "I'm sorry! I wasn't laughing at you! I get it. Hell, I've been there myself."

"Don't mess with me boy."

"I'm not! I swear." He relaxed once Daryl pointed the bow away from him. "The first time Maggie and I went on a run together for supplies; Lori had asked me to get her a pregnancy test. I didn't want to announce it, so when Maggie came up from behind me, I panicked and picked up a box of condoms to cover. I thought she'd just laugh at me, but she took off her shirt and said that she wanted to have sex." Glenn chuckled at the memory. "I nearly fell over. It was amazing. But then every time I looked at her after that…"

"You were always at attention?"

"_Majorly_."

Daryl squinted, looking off into the distance. "How long'd it take to get things to…calm down?"

"Honestly? Weeks." He replied. "But she understood. It's kinda how guys are. It just sucks that it's so completely obvious."

"Tell me about it."

"You can't avoid her forever."

"Yeah I know."

Glenn gave him a sympathetic smile. "At least you know everything's…in working order."

"Yeah, and then some."

"Trust me. You're better off talking to her. It will just get worse the longer you wait."

Daryl chuckled. "That's easy for you to say. You already got a woman."

Glenn chuckled back. "Yeah, but now _I'm_ the one holding out on sex."

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Carol knew that Daryl had been avoiding her. Every time she went to talk to him, he had something he_ had_ to be doing. He'd even gone so far as to figure out her daily schedule and only immerge in the prison when she was either surrounded by other people or just too busy to question him. She was trying to give him some space, but she had a sinking feeling that he was regretting his actions. Either that or he'd reverted right back into his old way of thinking. If that was the case, then she might as well have just thrown in the towel.

It was making her crazy trying to figure out what had happened. Had he just been putting on a show with her, letting her think that he'd been invested, when he really had no interest beyond fooling around? That didn't seem feasible to her. Daryl wasn't the 'love em and leave em' type. At least, she'd never gotten that impression before. Maybe he'd just had a bad experience that made him hesitant around women. Suddenly, something occurred to her that she hadn't even considered before. He'd been treated horribly all his life, but what if it went beyond that?

What if he'd been sexually abused too?

Carol had no idea how to go about approaching such a heavy subject with him. She'd be lucky if she could get anything reasonable out of him to begin with. As much as she hoped that it wasn't something as serious as this, she couldn't think of another rational excuse as to why he'd be all over her one minute, and then vanish into thin air the next.

She knew she had to take action, and she had to do it fast. Sasha had agreed to switch schedules with her for the day, and she immediately headed out to the storage area. When Daryl wasn't on guard duty or out hunting, he was generally in there moving supplies around for Rick. She was relieved to see that he was alone.

"Daryl, I need to talk to you."

He froze like a deer in headlights. "I'm busy."

"Yeah, you seem to be busy a lot these days."

He grunted, trying to move boxes around. "We all got jobs to do now. Why ain't you with the kids?"

"I got Sasha to cover for me." She sighed. "I've been trying to talk to you for a week, and you've done everything in your power to avoid me."

"I ain't avoidin' ya."

"Really?" She stood directly in his path. "Then stop and talk to me."

"Ain't got nothin' to say."

"Well I have plenty to say."

"God woman!" Daryl dropped the boxes. "What do you want from me?"

Now he was asking for it. "I want the man back that I had in the guard tower!"

He shrugged her off. "Yeah, well he's long gone. Get over it."

"NO!" She pushed him. "You tell me what's going on right now! I'm tired of sitting around worrying that I did something to make you hate me! If you don't want to be with me, then just say so dammit!"

Daryl looked more than surprised by her outburst, but he didn't try to run. Instead, he growled and kicked one of the wooden crates.

"I don't hate you!"

"Then what is it?!" She was defeated. "Daryl, please…just tell me."

"I can't."

"Why?"

He was turning red. "It's embarrassing."

Carol immediately went from angry to concerned. "Does it have to do with something you're trying to forget?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

"And does it involve someone else touching you in a certain way?"

"Maybe."

Carol moved closer, but she was very careful to make sure that she didn't get too close. If he was reliving something traumatic from his childhood, then trying to embrace him would just make matters worse.

"Daryl, we need to talk about this. If we don't, you'll never be able to get past it and move on."

"Get past what?" He looked lost. "What the hell'd you think I was talking about?"

Now Carol was confused. "About the abuse."

"What abuse?"

"The sexual abuse you suffered."

"WHAT?!" He backed away from her in disbelief. "I wasn't fuckin' molested!"

"You weren't?" She really thought she'd figured it out. "But you said it had to do with people touching you."

"Yeah, _you_ touching me." He sputtered. "I got….excited."

The minute the words came out of his mouth, Carol realized just how wrong she'd been. Daryl looked like he wanted to crawl out of his skin at the very idea of her knowing this. He'd probably assumed that she'd make fun of him for it.

"Oh…." Carol put her hand up to her mouth to cover her shock. "God Daryl, why didn't you just tell me? The way you've been acting, I thought you'd decided that you weren't interested."

He scoffed. "If you had a body part with a mind of its own, would you wanna announce it for the whole goddamn world to see?"

She moved closer now, her head bent a little. "Believe it or not, I get that way too. You just can't see it."

"Ain't you lucky."

"Daryl." She placed a hand on his arm. "It's a natural reaction. In fact…it's kinda sexy."

He stared at her like she'd just told him that pigs were sexy. She continued. "I told you that I thought guys never checked me out. The fact that I you got excited thinking about me? About us? I can't think of any better form of flattery."

"You mean you don't…think I'm a perv?"

She made a face, trying to think of how to approach the question. "Have you been thinking about other women at the same time you've been thinking about me?"

"No."

"Then you're _definitely_ not a perv."

He looked down at her. "So you ain't pissed at me no more?"

Carol wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. It was brief but intense. "You tell me."

**A/N: I think even I surprised myself with the amount of sexual euphemisms I used in this chapter. It scares me how much I think like a guy sometimes…maybe I was a guy in another lifetime! Anyway, back to the writing cave! (swishes away wearing a cape around her neck like Batman)**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hello people!**

**I have to say that I am pretty damn shocked right now. I just checked on the latest numbers for the story, and not only do I have 79 followers and 26 favorites, I also have ****97 REVIEWS****! That's amazing! I have never gotten more than 5 on any other story I've written (granted they were short) but the fact that you guys still write to me on a weekly basis to let me know you like the story and to keep going is just a dream come true. I am so thankful to the whole fan fiction community and I hope I can do you all justice**

**Now, I have another confession to make…I'm at the point in the story where things get a little hairy. I knew where I wanted to go with everything up until now, but figuring out how to proceed has been a little rough. This chapter is sort of a lead up to something big that's about to happen, and you will see a character in my story start to go off-track a little bit. Honestly, it was a plot decision that I just had to try and work with so I could get to the next big moment. Even though I hate doing that, it was the best way I could figure out to make it all work in the end. Anyway, I hope you all still enjoy it even though it might stray a little further from my normal range. **

**Remember…keep reviewing! I need to hit that milestone!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead…but I do own a light saber cause I'm a geek**

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Ch13.

Carol couldn't stop smiling. It was getting a little ridiculous. Ever since she and Daryl had made up, she'd felt like a damn teenager. They still hadn't announced anything to anyone, but the group was probably starting to figure it out. He wasn't exactly great at being covert when it came to requesting time alone with her anymore. One day he'd even broadcasted it in front of her whole class. Luckily, she'd managed to cover it up by saying that he just needed help gathering vegetables out in the garden. In reality, they never even made it outside, and the only kind of gathering that occurred was of an _entirely_ different variety.

The problem was that as soon as they got close to true physical intimacy, Daryl always pulled away. She was trying to be patient with him, knowing that he probably didn't have a lot of experience with women and sex, but she definitely knew he had the capability. It was such a strange thing to see him acting bashful around her. They'd cleared up their miscommunication about him being molested, so she knew that wasn't the reason he was holding him back. She also knew that it was getting extremely painful for him to do so. She'd even offered to relieve his tension, but he clammed up and told her that he had to go on guard duty with Rick. When she went to Rick later to ask how it'd gone, he had no idea what she was talking about.

Carol suspected that he'd probably had a bad sexual experience with a woman that was affecting his confidence in himself. Ed had always made her feel like a failure in the bedroom, so she absolutely understood if that was it. No matter how reluctant Daryl might have been in that area, he was still a much better kisser than Ed had ever been. Since they're initial rendezvous, he'd really improved his technique. They'd definitely rounded second base and even got close to third once, but she still wanted more.

She wanted to see a side of Daryl Dixon that no one else had seen.

It was mid-afternoon, but as far as she knew, he hadn't been up to the prison yet today. They'd been talking for a solid week about him coming back up to bunk with her until the heat died down for the summer, and in all honesty, she secretly hoped that he'd decide to stay bunked with her even after that. If she didn't act soon, summer would be over and she wouldn't have any more excuses left until winter kicked in.

It was the weekend, or at least it was by the prison's standards. Keeping track of days was sometimes hard with no calendars, but they ran at their own pace. As she made her way out to the field to see if she could talk to him, but was surprised to find that the tent was gone. Her heart soared at the thought that he'd finally gone along with what she wanted. She saw Maggie patrolling and immediately flagged her down.

"Hey Maggie! Have you seen Daryl?"

"I think he moved he's moving his stuff back inside." She yelled back. "Saw him packing it up earlier."

"Thanks!"

He'd actually listened for once! She ran back inside to find him, hoping to get there before he started moving her things out of the way to make room for his own. She was willing to share her space, but there was a system to how she kept her things. Carol swung around the railing and into the cell, but was stunned to find that neither Daryl nor his things were there. They weren't on the perch either. Maggie must have seen him go inside, but where was he?

She was just about to go back down to ask if anyone had seen which direction he'd gone, but as she turned to walk out of the cell, she collided directly into a pile of books with arms. The person stumbled backwards until they hit the railing, and papers went flying everywhere.

"Oh Beth I'm sorry!" Carol ran to help the poor girl. "I didn't see you coming in."

Beth grabbed up the papers that had fallen on the grating by her feet. "It's my fault. I'm such a klutz with these books."

"You're not a klutz; I am for smacking right into you." Carol laughed, kneeling down to help. "I was just going to find Daryl and I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing."

"Oh." Beth looked up at her, a slight blush on her face. "I think he's down with Rick in the new area they cleaned out. He said he was setting something up for Maggie and Glenn down there. They wanted somewhere to go so they could be alone."

This was news to Carol. She had no idea that they'd been clearing out more sections of the prison. As far as she knew, what they hadn't cleared out already was deemed to be too dangerous. Rick was very cautious about letting people go into certain areas, especially what they referred to as the tombs. Even if he was setting up a spot for Maggie and Glenn, that still didn't explain where his things were.

"Really?"

Beth nodded. "I asked him if he would help me put away some of these books when he was done. I'm not tall enough to get them up on the top shelves in the storage area."

Carol smiled. "It's a good idea to have him help you."

She sighed, holding up the papers. "Well, first I need to grade these for the class, but I was hoping you could help me go through them if you have the time."

"Sure."

"I saw some of the papers float down to the first level, so I'd better go get them."

"I'll come with you."

The two women walked down to the lower level to retrieve the rogue essays, and much to Carol's surprise, Daryl and Carl walked into the room at the very same time. Both of them were armed-Daryl with his crossbow and Carl with his knife holstered on his belt and his gun. They looked like they were planning to go do some tracking, but they were so distracted by their conversation that they barely heard her call over to them.

"Let me guess." Carol said, walking over. "Squirrel hunting time?"

"You know it." Daryl smiled. "Been too damn long. Hershel gave me a go on the ankle so we're heading out."

"You're going tracking?" Beth asked questionably. "Maybe I could come along too. I'd really like to learn how to do it, and daddy said-."

"Well uh…" Daryl stopped her, looking down at Carl. "Be happy to teach ya, but I kinda promised Carl it'd just be us guys this time. Male bonding and all that. Maybe I can take you out some other time."

Beth looked okay on the outside, but Carol knew she was probably crushed. She went to retrieve the papers that had fallen before looking back at them. "Sure. I'll be upstairs working on these awhile. Carol, can I use your room?"

Carol nodded. "Sure honey, I'll be up in a minute to help you."

"Thanks."

She turned back to the two semi-grown boys standing by the outside entrance. "I saw all your things were gone from outside. Moving back in?"

Daryl smirked. "You'll just have to wait and see."

"You trying to mess with me?"

"Maybe."

"That's not very nice." She teased, stepping closer.

He didn't back away. "I'll fill ya in when we get back. Promised Carl we could go out, but we gotta go before it gets too late."

Carol frowned, leaning in to whisper to him. "Did you really have to exclude Beth from the trip? She is so excited about being able to go out and hunt with you."

Daryl shrugged. "It's not me, it's Carl. He's still pretty sore about the 'just wantin' to be friends' thing. Last thing I need is the two of them bickering out there and me having to get in the middle of it."

Now it made perfect sense. "I get it. Well just try to make it up to her soon if you can."

"I will, now that I can get around better."

She smiled. "You two make sure you come back in one piece."

Daryl scoffed. "Ye of little faith."

"Don't mess with me Dixon, unless you want to be taken down."

"Maybe later." He winked at her.

Carol's jaw hit the floor. Had he just flirted? In broad daylight and in front of a room of people to boot! He had a wicked grin on his face, but before she could completely recover from her shock, he did something she'd never forget.

"We'll be back soon."

A second later, his hand reached up to cup her jaw; placing a quick kiss on her still stunned lips. By the time her brain was able to process what was happening, he'd pulled away. Daryl then turned back to Carl, who was now grinning broadly at them. The two walked over to the door, and Daryl turned back once he got there. Carol nearly had a heart attack when he gestured to the rest of the people standing around in the block; all looking as surprised as she was.

"What y'all lookin' at? Ain't nothin' to see."

The door creaked shut behind him, and Carol could feel her whole face and most of her neck turning bright red. Up until a week ago, Daryl hadn't even been willing to admit that they were in a relationship. Now, in a matter of ten seconds, he'd pretty much announced it to everyone.

_Dear Lord Almighty…give me strength…_

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Daryl may have just done the craziest thing he'd ever imagined doing. It'd given him a pretty big ego boost though. He hadn't exactly planned it out, but at that moment it'd just felt right. He knew he'd shocked the hell out of Carol with his bold move too. He just hoped she wasn't pissed off at him about it later.

"That was quite a sendoff." Carl teased as they headed down to the gate. "Guess you finally worked things out huh?"

"Shut up man."

"Hey, I'mnot the one who kissed Carol in front of the _whole group_…"

"It wasn't the whole damn group!"

"Have you let her rip your clothes off yet?"

Daryl pointed his crossbow at the boy. "I _will_ shoot you."

Carl laughed. "You didn't load the arrows yet."

"Don't think I can't do that in a jiffy if I have to."

"I know you still won't do it." Carl looked at him. "I've never seen you this happy."

Daryl was happy, maybe for the first time in his whole life. It'd felt really weird for a while but now he was sort of getting used to it…not that a young kid needed to know that. Daryl grabbed him by the neck and put him in a friendly headlock.

"Keep testin' me and we'll see about that."

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In all of the chaos of the kiss, Carol had completely forgotten about Beth. She rushed back up to her room, only to find that the young woman and her papers were all gone. Maybe she'd decided to go back to the room she shared with Herschel instead. As much as Carol wanted to ask if anyone had seen her, she was too embarrassed to say anything to anyone.

She walked further down the walkway to see if she could find Beth, but instead found herself walking into Sasha, whose face said it all. She'd obviously heard about what had happened.

_Daryl was right. People are too nosy in here._

"Heard I missed quite a show." She said with a smirk. "Nothing going on there huh?"

Carol groaned. "Fine, we're together now. Satisfied?"

Sasha gave her a genuine smile. "No, but I see you are, and I'm happy for you both."

"Thank you." As weird as it was, Carol still found it hard to take compliments. Even after all this time, it just somehow felt wrong. "Have you seen Beth? I was supposed to help her with some papers for the class."

"I just saw her run down the central hallway. She looked kind of upset."

"Any idea where she was going?"

Sasha shook her head. "No, but she was carrying a gun if that helps."

"A gun?"

"I tried to ask what she was doing, and she said she had some business to take care of."

Carol frowned. Where on Earth would she have gone? There were still so many parts of the prison that were unsafe to her. If Beth got down that hallway and branched off in the wrong direction, she could end up in the tombs. It was a never-ending maze of hallways that anyone could get lost in.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure."

"Thanks Sasha."

Carol immediately started walking down the long hallway, trying to figure out exactly where she would have gone. She knew that Beth had been upset about Daryl not taking her out, but that wouldn't make her go and do something stupid, would it? She should go find Maggie and see if maybe she knew what had happened. Carol was already halfway down the hallway when it hit her like a lightning bolt.

The kiss.

Oh god, she had to have seen the kiss. It was obvious to everyone that she cared about Daryl, and he'd just kissed another woman in front of the entire group! Beth was normally a rational girl, but the rejection of her request, topped with fresh image of seeing her crush kissing someone else in front of her was enough to send anyone over the edge. She needed to find her and handle this immediately.

Daryl may have thought that he'd done something daring in his quest for romance, but in reality he may have just made a very smart girl go and do something _very_ reckless.

**A/N: I know, I know…I hated to portray Beth as a clingy girl who flips out at the very sight of a kiss, but it does serve a purpose. I swear. I mean, let's face it…teenagers have mood swings, so she's bound to have some off days. Be ready for next time because there's a lot more drama to come!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Good day my lovelies! Wow, I think I've been watching too much Downton Abbey. I'm starting to sound like Rose, and I don't even like her much:-[**

**So, I found out recently that Peta2 (who is an amazing writer herself) was my 100****th**** reviewer (YAY!) and has also been asking her readers to check out my story. For this reason and many more, I have to recommend the same to any readers of mine who have not checked out her work. Trust me, she's got PLENTY of stuff to choose from, so dig in folks! Love you Peta2! **

**This comes as a pretty big shock to me honestly because I would never think to ask people to promote my stories (not that I'm not grateful if you do) and I know this community does stick together so it's completely awesome that I'm getting to know more of you as you write to me and tell me what you think of the story. If anyone else knows of someone who is promoting the story, please let me know because I'd like to thank them personally. I'm going to admit right now that between school, tutoring, and working a part-time job, I really don't have a lot of time for anything except homework and writing my own stuff, so please don't think I'm being rude if I don't read other stories every week and review them. I totally respect everyone out there who is trying to be creative and put their mark on the world. It's not easy some days, but even on my worst day you guys make it better**

**Also, thank you to everyone for their support on the Beth front…I'm glad you guys understand that I have a purpose in doing the things I do and it's not just a random afterthought to put a character in a dangerous situation over something silly. Unfortunately, you're going to have to wait a little bit longer for the big build-up of events to come, but I still think you'll enjoy this chapter anyway…lots of talking going on and some realizations being made on both ends. I will make a promise like I did for the kissing scene as well that if you guys respond strongly enough, I will release the next chapter as soon as I can. Something tells me that with supporters like you guys, I won't have any problems hearing you loud and clear :D**

**You guys are usually on top of the latest things to hit the internet too, so if anyone wants to comment on the deleted scene with Lori as a zombie (shudders) please feel free…I'm really glad they didn't put that scene in the show personally because I don't think Rick would've ever recovered from making out with a corpse! Anyway, that's all my rambling for the moment, so off you go!**

**Disclaimer: I'm still thoroughly pissed off about what happened on Downton…I mean really? What were they thinking? **

**Oh right…and I don't own The Walking Dead either…**

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Ch14.

"All right…you gotta concentrate. What'd you see?"

Daryl and Carl were about a mile from the prison, deep in the forest. They were currently residing by some large shady elm trees that were blocking most of the sunlight. Daryl had done this for two reasons. One, it was less humid this way, and two, it was harder to track animals in the dark. Carl was already getting so good that he was looking for ways to extend his training by making it harder on him.

Carl looked around, searching the ground in front of him. "I see…two sets of tracks."

"What kind?"

"Mmm…looks like raccoon. Or maybe possum."

"I think you were right the first time." Daryl looked harder. "Which way'd they go?"

Carl paused. "Northeast?"

"You askin' or tellin'?"

He solidified his response. "Northeast."

Daryl nodded. "Good. Let's see if we can catch up to 'em."

They went further into the forest; Daryl ready with his crossbow at the first sign of a furry hide. He'd missed this more than he'd even realized. It was second nature to him to be out here hunting for wildlife. Ten minutes went by, and still no sign of them. Carl was being very patient considering. Daryl probably would've thrown a fit if things hadn't gone his way at that age.

"By the way," Carl spoke quietly. "Thanks for not letting Beth come along. It would've been really awkward."

Daryl nodded. "Figured as much. Best to keep you two apart for now."

"I hope it won't always be weird though."

Daryl looked at him. "Life is what you make it. Don't want it to be weird no more? Gotta talk it out."

"Or just avoid her for the rest of my life."

He chuckled. "There's that too."

Carl looked around a tree for any signs of life. "Anyway, I kinda like someone else now."

"Oh yeah? Who's that?"

"It's this girl in my class. Her name's Julie."

"She got any family?"

"Yeah, her mom's still alive."

"How old is she?"

"Fifteen."

Daryl threw him a look. "That's still a lil' old ain't it?"

"No." Carl defended. "I turn thirteen next month. It's only two years."

He wasn't about to talk the kid out of it. "Whatever floats your boat, man."

"You're younger than Carol right?"

Daryl shrugged. He figured she was at least a little older than him, but he wasn't even sure by how much. He should probably find out when her birthday was too.

"Yeah, I guess. It don't really matter when you get to be as old as us."

Carl looked irked. "Why should it matter at my age?"

"It don't really. Those rules don't apply no more anyhow." He walked a little further up. "I say as long as ya like each other, that's what counts."

"Well I definitely like her."

"She like you back?"

"I think so, but I don't know yet." Carl smirked. "I'm trying to play hard to get."

Daryl sputtered comically at the boy. "Well good luck with that."

Carl stopped, and Daryl thought he was mad, but then he realized he'd picked up the trail again. "They're going due east now. I think I see them."

He ran ahead and Daryl stayed back for a moment to let him have his moment of glory. He'd never gotten to do this kind of thing with his own dad, but this sort of felt like a bonding moment for him.

_I may not be a daddy, but I'd be a damn good uncle. _

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"Beth? Beth please answer me!"

Carol had gone in the direction that she'd been told Beth had run off to, but she still hadn't managed to find her. She needed to try and talk things out with her and make her understand. It had to have been so hard for her at this age, feeling like she might never find someone of her own to love. Carol had all but given up hope that she'd ever have this type of feeling again, and the last thing she wanted to do was use it to make someone else feel bad about themselves because of it.

She turned to go down into the restricted area. There were a few areas that it branched off, and it felt almost like a maze trying to get back out again. It was horrible enough to think that Beth might be lost down here, let alone both of them. It suddenly occurred to Carol that she didn't have a weapon on her either. She'd left Daryl's knife back in her room, thinking they were just going to be grading some papers. As important as Beth was to her, she was seriously contemplating turning back to get some assistance from one of the men, and at least a blunt object or two.

"Beth! Please just let me know if you're down here!"

She heard something making noise up ahead, but she couldn't tell whether it was human or monster. Her flight senses were kicking into high gear at the thought of her last encounter down these long hallways with walkers. T-Dog had sacrificed himself for her just so she could get to safety, but that wasn't an option now. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as her adrenaline kicked into survival mode. This time, her fight-or-flight reflexes were telling her to run in the other direction.

"Carol?"

It was Beth's voice, and it sounded wobbly but alive. Carol let out the breath that she had been holding in.

"Where are you?"

"Down here."

Carol walked down to the end of the hallway and turned the corner. She saw light peeking out from a door halfway down the row. Peeking in, she found Beth sitting in the room all by herself. She'd definitely been crying, and Carol saw a gun sitting on the table. Beth had tried to end her life once before, but she'd come out of it with the help of her family. Carol's heart broke at the thought that she might be contemplating those thoughts once again.

"Honey, are you okay?"

"Yeah." Beth said quietly, staring at her feet. "Guess it was pretty stupid coming down here, but I just wanted to be alone."

"Is this about me and Daryl?"

She nodded. "I know it's silly to be upset over a crush, but I just wasn't expecting him to kiss you like that."

Carol raised her eyebrows. "Trust me, neither was I."

"He obviously cares a lot about you."

"He cares about you too, you know. He'd be really angry right now if he knew you were down here by yourself and got hurt."

"I know." She sighed. "I don't know why, but it just hit me so hard. I guess I finally know how Carl felt when I told him I just wanted to be friends."

Carol walked over to her cautiously. "Beth, are you….feeling suicidal?"

Beth's face changed from sorrow to shock. "What? Oh no, that's not why I came here."

"It's not?"

"No." She shook her head. "I came down here to prove that I was tough like you."

"Tough like me?"

"Daryl told me how you took on those four walkers on the trip. He was so proud of you."

Carol gasped. "He told you that?"

"Well, not in so many words, but it was obvious on his face. I think he was more angry that he couldn't be there to see it than anything. I heard Tyreese talking about it too." Her shoulders slumped. "Everyone in the group is so impressed by what you did. I just wanted to feel that special for a minute."

Carol couldn't believe her motives. "What were you going to do? Pick a fight with a walker?"

"I was working up to it."

She came up to grasp the girl's shoulder. "I wasn't trying to be a hero Beth. I got cornered, and my instincts just kicked in. I've been in plenty of other situations where I panicked and ran the other way. I almost did it before I found you. You don't need to prove anything to me or to anyone else by coming down here to put yourself in danger."

Beth nodded, wiping a tear away. "I just wish I could do the things you do. All of the women in this group are so strong. I feel like all I do is watch Judith and clean clothes."

Carol laughed internally at her words. Up until a month ago, she'd felt exactly the same way.

"You are a very important part of this group. I know your dad doesn't like you working with the guys and knives unless you have to, but that's because he's scared something will happen to you. I know he's not happy that Maggie does it either."

"But if he doesn't let me learn, I'll be killed just as easily by not knowing how to protect myself!" Beth argued. "He almost did down here in these tombs, and it was Rick's quick thinking that saved him."

"Rick's saved all of us at one time or another with his quick thinking." Carol acknowledged. "But think about how you felt wondering if your dad would live or not. Could you put him through something like that if he let you go out and you got injured?"

"It could happen just as easily in here as it could out there."

"Not if you stop coming down to the tombs yourself and provoking the walkers."

Beth sighed in understanding. "Okay, I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

"Good," Carol laughed jokingly. "Or I'll have Daryl lock you in a cell for three days."

"I promise." Beth looked up at her. "I'm sorry I made you worry."

Carol pulled her into a hug. "You and Daryl have one big thing in common. You both underestimate yourself."

"How?"

"Neither of you know what you mean to this group. As much as I tell Daryl how much people care about his opinions, he never values himself enough to think that it could ever be true because of how he was brought up. He'd hate it if he thought he'd rubbed off on you like that." She smiled down at her. "You've always been such an assertive person. Don't let a man dictate how you feel about yourself. I did it for too many years and it took the world coming to an end to finally realize that I'm worth something."

Beth smiled. "Are you glad that you went out and proved yourself?"

"I am, but I think that I'm also ready to go back to being my old self again too." Carol laughed. "I'm not saying that I want to go back to being scared of my own shadow, but right now, sitting in a room with a bunch of kids talking about books is sounding pretty exciting."

Beth laughed too. "You don't think Daryl's going to want you to keep being assertive?"

She sighed. "It doesn't matter if he does or doesn't. It's still my decision. He knows he doesn't own me, and I don't own him. It's a mutual respect."

Beth smiled sadly. "It sounds like you two are perfect for each other."

"Beth, I know it seems hopeless right now, but you will find someone eventually." Carol patted her arm. "Now that the group has expanded, there's a much better chance of being able to finally set down roots and make lives for ourselves. Maybe someday you'll even get to be a mother of your own."

She nodded. "Even if I don't, I'll watch out for Judith like she was my own daughter."

"You know, I think I understand why you fell for Daryl so hard."

"Why?"

She chuckled. "He is pretty damn cute around a baby."

"Yeah, he really is." Beth agreed. "We should probably get back before he finds out either one of us was down here. He'll throw a fit, and it won't be a cute one."

"You're right about that."

Beth got up from the stool and they walked out of the cell together and headed back the way they'd come. She was glad that she'd been able to work things out with the young woman. She just hoped that things would get easier for her down the line. Even in the world they were stuck in now, Beth deserved to have as much as it could offer her. Carol just prayed that she'd live long enough to see it.

They walked silently down the very dimly lit hallway, trying to retrace their steps. Carol was surprised how far down she'd come into the restricted area. She was trying to count how many turns she had made on her way down, but there were a few times that they had come up to an intersection and weren't exactly sure which way to go. A little further down, Carol found a mark on the wall that someone from the group had obviously used as a reference point. Breathing a little bit easier now, she continued forward, but stopped when she realized that she could only hear her own footsteps moving. When she turned back, she noticed that Beth was still further down the hall, and she looked confused.

"Did we go the wrong direction?"

Beth shook her head. "No I remember coming this way because I saw that mark on the wall, but I'm almost positive that door wasn't open when I was here before."

She pointed to a door off to their left, which was open maybe a foot out into the hallway. Carol hadn't remembered seeing any doors open either, come to think of it.

"Beth, where's the gun?"

Beth gasped in realization. "I left it in the room on the table."

"We need to go get it…now."

"Right." Beth had already turned and started to walk back, but Carol yelled for her to stop.

"Wait! We need to make a note of where we are so we know how to get back."

Beth pointed up at the corner of the wall. "There's a notch right here. We can-"

Carol saw the walker before Beth did, but it was still too late to reach her. It came up from behind her, grabbing her outstretched arm and sinking its teeth into the flesh of her bicep. Beth screamed at the shock of what was happening, and tried desperately to pull her arm away. Carol gasped in agony as she saw the walker rip off a large quantity of skin, followed by an enormous gush of blood that flowed out from the wound.

This couldn't be happening. It was her worst nightmare come true.

"NOOOOOOO!"

**A/N: All right guys…you probably have a LOT of feelings going on right now, so please let me explain my thought process…**

**Beth's obviously in some big trouble right now, and it's far from over. I obviously can't tell you what's going to happen yet, but I will say that things are going to get a lot more intense before it's all said and done. Also keep in mind that I don't like harming any of these characters, but we all know that this is not a safe show. At some point, all of us have been affected by a character's sudden life change and/or demise, so even though it's hard to do, I don't think that this choice was too far off the mark either. It's a violent world they live in, and unfortunately it tends to come out at the worst times. **

**I will keep my promise if you guys make enough noise about the reveal of the next chapter, so let me know either way what you think. You guys haven't let me down yet, so I trust that you will all be respectful of each other's opinions and be adult in your discussions. Remember…you guys make this story what it is, and I will keep writing as long as I have a story to tell...I'm also happy to announce that my grandmother and I got through season 2 of TWD on DVD last night, and she's all ready to start season 3 next week when it comes out! Watching a matured woman sit down actually enjoy a show where people kill zombies every week is just the coolest thing ever and I'm super happy that she's stuck with it as long as she has. Now the fun starts!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Hello readers…**

**Sorry I got a little bit delayed in revealing the next chapter, but things got kinda nuts at school (it's mid-term project time, which is always stressful for me) and I didn't want to release it before I was happy with where things stood.**

**This is a pretty emotional chapter as you probably have already guessed. I went through quite a rollercoaster ride in writing it, but I think it's also some of my best work so far. It took a lot out of me just trying to get it all down onto paper, and I obviously can't tell you what's going to happen yet, but I want to thank everyone for sticking with me as long as they have. Hopefully when all is said and done, you'll still be as invested in the story as I am. I hope I don't let anyone down:)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead.**

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Ch15.

Carol's heart was in her throat. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out what to do as Beth screamed in horror at the vision of her arm being savagely ripped open. The walker was about to go back for seconds, and she had to act fast.

When Ed had first started hitting her, she'd enrolled herself in a self-defense class to try and build up the courage to fight him back. She hadn't made it through more than two classes before he'd found out about it and made her sorry that she'd ever signed up for it, but she did remember a move she had seen the instructor do. Praying to God that it worked, she ran at the walker with her elbow poised right at its throat. She managed to knock it back against the wall far enough to grab Beth and pull her away.

It had worked, but there was no time to be impressed at her accomplishment. There was also no way to get to the gun now. The walker was right in the path she needed to get to, and she really didn't want to try that move again. Beth was still screaming and she was probably going into shock. Carol quickly grabbed the girl's uninjured arm and dragged her along down the hallway as she attempted to figure out where they could go. She knew the walker was following quickly behind.

"Beth, I need you to concentrate for me." She said as calmly as she could. "We need to get you back to the infirmary to see what we can do about your arm."

"It's too late!" Beth sobbed. "Just leave me!"

"NO!" Carol yelled, searching a door nearby. "I am not leaving you behind! There's still time! We can save you!"

"IT'S COMING!"

Carol spun around and saw the walker just feet away. Without a rational thought left, she managed to open up one of the doors nearby that looked like it had been secured. She took a quick look inside and didn't see anything moving. Taking a shot in the dark, she grabbed Beth and threw her in the room, following quickly behind. It was lined wall to wall with storage lockers, but not much else. As Carol went to push the door shut behind them, the walker's fingers got there first, curling around the frame as she tried desperately to push it back.

"NOOO!"

Beth screamed out, but seemed to be paralyzed by fear, not to mention the loss of blood. Carol was stuck holding her own against the monster, who was doing a decent job of trying to push its way into the room. It didn't help that it was probably twice her size either. One thing that had always amazed Carol about walkers was just how strong they were, even after most of their limbs had rotted away. Their primal instinct to find food surpassed anything else, and she'd seen them overtake animals twice their size in the process. She continued to try and push the door shut, but it was a constant tug of war.

"Let go you bastard!"

Carol suddenly got an idea. Hoping it would work, she backed away from the door far enough to give herself some leverage and kicked it forward, hoping to throw it off balance. The walker let go and flew back against the opposite wall in the hallway, and Carol was able to grab the handle, slamming the door shut and throw herself against it. Luckily it had worked, but now she was scared to let go of the door. Flashbacks of her ordeals with Ed were coming back in waves. There had been plenty of times that she'd had to barricade herself and her daughter against a door in the middle of the night to keep her drunk, abusive husband at bay. The feeling of sheer terror was very much the same.

"Beth…" Carol continued to lean against the steel door, trying desperately not to break down. "We need to find something for me to kill it with. Is there anything in those lockers?"

Beth snapped out of her state and began to look around in the lockers. Most of them weren't very large, so the chances of finding something big enough to take it down were slim. Maybe someone had managed to sneak in a knife, but as she continued to look, it was looking hopeless. Carol pushed back against the door and noticed that it seemed secure for the moment. She ran over to the other side of the wall and started throwing open lockers left and right. They had all been cleaned out. There was absolutely nothing that would be of any help to them. It was enough to make a sane person lose their mind.

"HOW CAN THERE NOT BE A SINGLE THING IN HERE?!"

"Maybe Rick cleared it out when he came down here." Beth said quietly. "What do we do?"

All Carol wanted to do in that moment was curl up in a ball and cry. It was one thing to feel empowered when you had a weapon in your hands, but with the prospect of trying to save a life on top of having nothing to do it with was the most hopeless feeling she could imagine. She could hear the walker starting to pound against the door again, and knew they needed to act fast. One of the lockers on the side was pretty rusty and it looked like someone had tried to pry the door off the wall, but had been unsuccessful in doing so. Carol grabbed onto it, hoping that maybe she could get it the rest of the way off and use it as a stabbing mechanism, but the door wouldn't budge. She looked around on the floor, hoping that maybe something might have fallen just underneath the edges of the wall that she could use, but again she came up empty. The one thing she did notice was that there were some big cracks in the cement in one corner of the room. One went straight across the corner, and there was a slight gap in between. If she could manage to loosen it, maybe it would be big enough to actually do some damage.

"I'm going to try and pry up that piece of cement in the corner. I need you to watch the door for me and tell me if he's getting close to breaking in."

Beth walked over towards the door while Carol shoved her fingers down into the crevice of the floor, trying to get enough of a lip that she could grab it and pick it up. The walker was pounding louder now, and Beth looked more frightened than she had before. Carol continued to claw at the rock until her fingers were on the verge of bleeding, and after what felt like eternity, the piece finally started to wiggle and she was able to loosen it from the floor. The slab was about the size of her hand, but it was heavy and jagged on the underside. At this point, she didn't have a choice. It was the only weapon they had.

"Beth, I'm going to open the door and try to take it down." She walked back to the door, pushing her back towards the corner. "Just try to stay as far away from it as you can. If you get the chance, you run. Do you understand?"

Beth nodded; her face was extremely pale. Carol knew she had to do this now or the girl didn't stand a chance. Bracing herself behind the door, she yanked it open. The walker stumbled into the room, immediately taking notice of Beth. She screamed as it went barreling towards her.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Carol came up from behind, figuring she could kill it with a blow to the head. Unfortunately, it wasn't until she got closer to it that she realized that it was nearly a foot taller than she was. As she lifted the rock over her head to bring it down, she miscalculated her range and ended up clipping it in the shoulder. She felt the clavicle snap, but the force wasn't enough to knock it over. It turned its attention back to her, and Carol had nowhere to go. She backed up, trying to put space between her and the walker so she could propel forward, but a piece of cement from the slab fell to the floor. Carol felt her foot give out from under her and she went crashing back into the corner of the rusted locker, hitting her head on the wall in the process. The force of the impact rattled her teeth and she slumped down onto the floor.

"CAROL!"

She could hear Beth screaming for her as the room came back into view again. The walker was only feet away, and the look on its face told her that he was determined to get a meal out of one of them before this was all over. Carol went to get up, but fell back, gasping in pain at the burning sensation that radiated up her side. The walker was still focused on her, and in that moment, Carol knew what she needed to do.

"Beth…you need to go…" She felt tears come to her eyes. "Tell Daryl I love him…"

"I'm not leaving you!" Beth sobbed. "Please get up!"

She tried once again, but the pain was still enough to take her breath away. The thought of neither of them making it out of the room alive was too much to bear. If the walker made its way up to the main area without notice, it would put everyone in jeopardy. Carol hadn't had much time to focus on how her death would impact the others, but she knew that she couldn't handle the thought of others dying because of her mistake.

The piece of cement had gone flying when she'd fallen, and was now lying over on the other side of the room. Even if she could get up, she would never get to it before the walker attacked. Seconds were starting to feel like minutes as she tried to get her muddled brain to process what her next move should be. Carol turned her head back to where Beth had been standing, but was shocked to see that she was no longer there. Hoping that she had listened and made a run for it, she was once again surprised when Beth reappeared just behind the walker, now holding up the piece of cement. She yelled and slammed the stone into the side of the walker's head, knocking it off balance. In that moment, Beth had probably saved both of their lives, and it gave Carol the hope she needed.

Now able to think more clearly, she extended her leg out to trip the walker, just able to roll off to the side as it hit the ground next to her with a loud thud. Beth tossed her the slab, and with every ounce of energy she had left, Carol raised it over her head and slammed it down onto the walker's skull until she heard a loud crunching noise. It fell flat against the floor, but she wasn't about to take any chances. Without a conscious thought left, she continued to hit it over and over until there was nothing left but a pile of brains and a mass of mangled bloody flesh. Finally too exhausted to lift the rock up one more time, Carol threw it down and crawled over to Beth, who was now in a pile on the floor as well. When she went to comfort the poor woman and get a better idea of how bad the damage to her arm was, she was shocked to feel that Beth's skin was radiating with heat. She reached up to feel her forehead. It was blazing.

"Oh god…Beth…you're burning up."

Beth nodded, tears still welling in her eyes. "That's what I was trying to tell you. It's too late."

Carol's stomach rose up to her throat. She'd waited too long, and now there was no hope. Beth was already suffering, but Carol couldn't bring herself to be the one to end the girl's life. It was a double-edged sword. She tried desperately to hold back the sob that clutching her chest.

"We need to get you back." Carol wiped away the tears on her face and braced herself to get up. "I'm not leaving you here in this pit to die. You need to see your family."

Beth was getting hazy "I don't think I can walk that far."

"I need you to try sweetie." Carol pulled her up and pushed her forward. "I need to get you back where you belong."

"Carol…I'm sorry." Beth clung to her in delirium. "I never should have come down here. I put us both in danger."

Carol shook her head. "Don't you do that. You fought through your fear and you saved my life. Don't you dare blame yourself for any of this."

"But I-"

"No." Carol stopped her. "Beth I need you to keep fighting for me. Blame isn't going to get us anywhere right now. You need to keep being strong. Can you please do that for me?"

Beth nodded and Carol didn't waste any more time. She kicked the dead walker's leg out of the way and dragged Beth out the door and down the corridor. They started back down the same way, and Carol eased them both along little by little. She trusted her instincts to get them back, and by some absolute miracle, she seemed to be going in the right direction. Beth was starting to lose consciousness, so they had to constantly stop to rest. What would have normally been a two minute walk turned into a ten minute ordeal, but when they finally came into a part of the prison that Carol recognized, she nearly wept with joy.

There was no way to tell if anyone was within earshot of them, but Carol yelled out anyway, hoping someone would hear her. By this point, she was barely keeping Beth upright, and the pain in her side had doubled. She didn't know how much further she could go on, but just when she was about to give up, she saw Tyreese immerge. He ran over, seeing the two women covered in blood and the bite on Beth's arm. The look on his face revealed everything.

"Oh my god."

"Take her." Carol shoved Beth in his direction. "We need to get her to Hershel. She doesn't have much time."

Tyreese picked up the frail girl and rushed her over to the medical station. Carol lugged behind slowly, trying to keep up. The pain in her side was almost unbearable now, and she was starting to feel dizzy. Within a minute, Rick came running up to her, obviously filled in on the situation.

"I saw Beth and Tyreese." He exclaimed, grabbing her arm to steady her. "Are you bitten?"

"No." Her breathing was labored. "But I hit a wall and I think I busted my ribs."

"What about the walker?"

"It's dead."

"And there weren't any more?"

"I don't know…" Carol started to see spots. "Rick, I need to sit down. I think I'm gonna-"

"Carol?"

She heard his voice, but it sounded warbled. Her vision got blurry. She felt Rick grab her by the waist when her knees gave out on her.

Everything went black.

**A/N: Okay guys…I definitely want to address some things now that you've read the chapter, so bear with me please…**

**Deciding to kill off a character—any character—is never an easy decision. From the moment I thought of this story, I knew that I needed something dramatic to happen in the middle to keep the story flowing, and in a situation where these characters are always in danger, a walker attack seemed like a logical choice. I have nothing against Beth as a character, but in this case she just happened to fit the bill of what I needed for the scene. She also has ties to both Daryl and Carol, so the impact of her passing will be felt very strongly by them, as well as the others. **

**One thing that absolutely fascinates me about this show is how the deaths of characters dictates the lives of the others. As horrible as it may sound, I'm glad that Sophia died because it gave Carol the inner strength she needed to stand up and become a productive member of the group. Same with Merle and Daryl. Everyone is affected in some way but someone else and that story dictates their path. It's either a moment of clarity or a moment of insanity. Sometimes they're able to come back from the brink, and sometimes they can't. I am constantly asking myself how I'd handle the same situations if I was ever placed in them, and the honest answer is that I have no idea. I don't think you can know until you're in that spot and have to make the decision. I hope that you all can appreciate the wonders of this world the way that I do and know that when it's time for someone to die, there is always purpose behind it. **

**I want as much feedback on this one as you guys can give me. Be brutally honest if you need to, but again try to be respectful of the people who will be reading it. I will try to respond to as many of the reviews as I can and let you know that I appreciate what you guys are doing. **

**Live long and Caryl on.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: HAPPY WALKING DEAD DAY!**

**It's the day we've all been waiting for…well, ONE of the days…season 4 will be here in about 47 days (eeek!) but today we can ease that pain by indulging in some wonderful moments from season 3 on our new DVD's and Blu-ray's! I personally cannot wait to dive into the deleted scenes and commentary. I will not lie…I live for that stuff. I LOVE knowing how they figure out scenes and work out the effects. Greg Nicotero is a GOD to me:) I'm also excited to see how many other amazing outcomes there might have been for scenes in the last year. So far the few I've seen have blown me away!**

**As for the story, I received a lot of reviews from the previous one, and everyone has been 100% supportive of the direction of the story which is a big relief to me. This chapter is all from Daryl's POV because Carol is not exactly coherent yet, but he is about to come back and find out just exactly what has happened, which will be pretty rough as well. I had to watch a lot of YouTube clips from "This Sorrowful Life" to prepare for the impact that this situation will have on him (which I can now happily watch over and over from my TV…just saying)**

**I also love listening to music while I'm writing to help me find the emotions I need for scenes like this. I happened to be listening to Coldplay a lot on this day, particularly "The Scientist" and "Fix You", which both seem to fit this scenario so well. You certainly don't need to listen to music while reading the chapter, but I just thought I'd share some of my processes…anyway, off you go!**

**Live Long and Caryl On!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead...I do own a kick-ass Blu-ray box set of TWD S3:)**

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Ch16.

Daryl and Carl made their way further into the woods, still searching for the two culprits who had made the tracks they'd been following. Even though they hadn't caught up to them yet, it was a matter of time. There didn't seem to be many walkers out this way either. Daryl grinned at the prospect of being able to actually go out and hunt again without some damn walker trying to fuck up his kill. Then again, he was starting to wonder just how many wild animals there might be left. If the population of the wildlife was getting as bad as it was for the humans, they'd really have a problem. Daryl couldn't live on beans for the rest of his life.

Suddenly, Carl made a gesture, signaling that he'd found them. There were two raccoons nestled up together in a hollowed out tree down by the creek. It was an easy kill. He still preferred squirrel meat, but this would be a better meal on the table for the others. He looked over at Carl, who had his Beretta out and ready to go. Daryl held him off.

"Wait. We don't wanna make too much noise. It'll scare 'em."

"So what should we do?"

"I'll get 'em with the crossbow."

Carl gave him sort of a shy look. "Can…I try to use it?"

Daryl was shocked by his request. He'd never let anyone else handle it before. It was sort of like his baby. It was fine-tuned and adjusted just for him.

"Don't know…might not be a good idea."

Carl nodded slightly, looking defeated. "Yeah…I get it."

Daryl rationalized it. There really wasn't much effort to handling the weapon, other than making sure the arrows didn't hit anything that would split them.

"You ever used one of these before?"

"No, but dad let me shoot a regular bow at an archery range once."

He sighed. "All right. You get one shot."

Carl's eyes lit up as he handed the crossbow over to him. He showed him how to line up the shot and stood back. The chances of him getting either one his first time were pretty bad, but Daryl knew that this was the only way for him to learn. He wished he'd had a teacher like this growing up, instead of having to learn strictly by trial and error. Carl was concentrating real hard. He focused in on them and waited a moment before finally pulling the trigger. It missed, as Daryl had expected, and the raccoons scattered loudly out of the tree and down the creek.

"Dammit!" Carl muttered, handing it back. "I thought I had them lined up."

Daryl laughed. "It's not as easy as it looks. Guess we're not having 'coon for dinner."

"Should we go after them?"

"Naw, they're long gone now." He nudged Carl's arm. "Let's head back. We'll try again later."

Carl didn't move. "Are you mad?"

Daryl had to admit that a few years ago, something like that would have driven him crazy. Now, it didn't matter much at all. Maybe he was getting soft in his old age.

"Naw. Took me years to be able to do that. You're comin' along just fine. Soon you won't even think about it."

"Thanks Daryl." Carl smiled. "I like being out here with you."

"Me too little man." He pulled the sheriff's hat down over his eyes playfully. "Come on let's go. It's getting dark."

"I'm coming."

They headed back towards the prison together, practically two birds of a feather.

"So, 'bout this girl…she cute?"

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They made it back to the prison within fifteen minutes and headed for the gates. Daryl immediately noticed that something wasn't right.

"Where's everyone?"

Carl looked at him funny. "What do you mean?"

"There's no one guarding the gate."

"Maybe they're swapping out."

"Someone should be out here at all times." Daryl went over to where they'd cut a space in the fence and saw that the cable lock was still intact. "Doesn't look like there's been a breech."

"Let's get in before we have a problem." Carl unhooked it and started unwinding the cable.

They got over onto the walkway and tied the gap back up. As they were walking back to the main gates, they saw Rick run out to the blacktop. Daryl had been right. Something was definitely up. Rick had blood on him, and it was fresh.

"Come on."

Without another thought, he immediately started running up to the prison to where Rick stood. Carl ran too, probably worried that something might've happened to his dad or baby sister. When they got there, he grabbed Daryl by the shoulders, looking troubled.

"What happened?"

Rick's face was stone. "There was an attack down in the restricted section."

Daryl's stomach dropped out from under him. "Who?"

"Beth."

"What the hell was she doin' down there?"

"I'm not sure, but that's where she was found."

Holy shit. He couldn't wrap his head around it. "So, is she…"

"Not yet, but it's a matter of time."

It was unbelievable. They hadn't had a breach that'd killed anyone in over half a year. The one time he takes off for some time in the woods, and they get attacked? Something didn't seem right. Maybe the Governor had come back.

"Do you think someone let em in?"

Rick shook his head. "Sadly, I think this one just found a way in on its own."

"How could that happen?!" Carl said, obviously upset with the situation. "We blocked off everything! We made it safe!"

"Carl…" Rick leaned down to comfort his son. "Things happen. We can't always stop it."

"If we'd let her come with us like she wanted to, she would have been safe!"

"You don't know that."

Daryl sighed. As much as he didn't want to argue it, he was thinking the same damn thing.

"I want to go see her." Carl stiffened. "I need to."

"That's not a good idea." Rick stood his ground. "She's with her family now."

Carl's eyes welled up. "After how I've treated her, I need to say I'm sorry."

"Carl," Rick put a hand on his shoulder. "She knows that you were just hurt and that you didn't really hate her. Besides, she's unconscious. I doubt she could hear you even if you told her."

He shoved Rick's hand away. "I don't care! I'm going!"

Carl pulled back and ran towards the building. Rick got up, but to Daryl's surprise, he didn't run after him. From the look on his face, he wasn't done doling out the bad news.

"Somethin' else happen in there I need to know about?"

Rick sighed deeply. "Daryl…she was with Carol when it happened."

Daryl shook his head. "You ain't sayin'…was she-"

"No. She didn't get bit, but she's hurt." Rick put a hand on his shoulder. "She partially ruptured her spleen in the battle, but the doc was able to get it out before it caused too much internal damage."

Fuck. "She had _surgery_?"

"Yes, but she's out now. I think the doc is giving her a transfusion at the moment."

Daryl's face scrunched up. "She gonna make it?"

Rick nodded. "She's not out of the woods yet, but the doc seems confident that she'll pull through as long as there aren't any complications."

"Where is she?"

"The infirmary."

If Rick had kept talking past that point, Daryl sure as hell wasn't listening. He ran into the block and down the long hall to the infirmary. Every fucking good feeling he'd just had was long gone. He had no idea what he would've done if Rick had told him that she hadn't made it. Even compared to the other times that he'd thought he might've lost her, this was still ten times worse. He cared too much now.

He was invested in this.

Daryl tried to wrap the scenario around his brain as he walked down the long hallway. How could this have happened? He was only gone for a few hours. And why the hell had they been down in that part of the prison? He felt completely gutted at the realization that Carol could have died if she hadn't fought him to go on the run for supplies. None of the others would have known what to get in a medical emergency. Had she predicted something like this would happen? It seemed too far-fetched even for him.

_When all is was over, I'm gonna go find that fucking walker and kick the ever-loving crap out of it until there's nothing left but a pile of gore. _

Turning a corner, he finally made it to the infirmary. Now it made sense where most of the people from the group were. They all knew what had happened and were waiting around for news. Daryl pushed his way through the crowd to the doc who'd come over with the Woodbury group. He knew Hershel would be with Beth right now and he couldn't disturb the poor man in his time of sorrow.

"Where is she?"

"I assume you mean Carol." Dr. Stevens replied. "She's resting right now. I performed the surgery but she's still very weak and shouldn't be disturbed."

"Didn't ask you if she was awake or not, did I?" Daryl was getting irritated. "I wanna see her."

Dr. Stevens held her ground. "She's not going to know you're there."

This woman obviously didn't know who the hell she was dealing with. "I don't give a flying fuck! Where the hell is she?"

"Throwing a fit won't do you any good."

"You wanna bet?" He got right in her face. "Try me."

"Doc wait…" Tyreese came over and got in between them. "Daryl, come on. I'll take you to her."

Daryl backed away, trying to calm down. Flying off the handle wasn't gonna make anything better, and he knew it. He followed Tyreese into a small, dark room just a few feet away. There was a candle burning on a table by the door, but he could barely make out her figure lying on the cot in the corner. She looked so small and frail. It killed him to know that he hadn't been there for her. Now Beth was probably dead, and she was lucky if she'd make it back out of this.

From the looks of it, Tyreese had been the one that had given her blood. He stood silently by the doorway while Daryl grabbed a chair and sat down in front of the cot, taking Carol's hand in his. She had been cleaned up for the surgery, but he saw a pile of bloody clothes still lying in the corner of the room. The sight of her limp body in front of him nearly brought him to tears.

"Did you find her?" Daryl looked back to Tyreese, who nodded.

"I carried Beth back up here and Rick got Carol. I found them when they were coming out of the tombs, and Carol told me to take her. Apparently she passed out not much later, and we got her over to the doc. That's when we realized how hurt she was."

"You give her blood?"

"We started talking awhile back and figured out that we had the same blood type, so I volunteered." Tyreese looked down at her. "Doc says she might need more soon, so I figured I'd stick around."

Daryl looked back down at her hand. "I can give her more blood if she needs it. I'm universal."

"I'll let the doc know."

He turned back to the large man. "I never thanked you…for keeping an eye on her out there on the trip."

Tyreese shrugged. "She really kept an eye on _me_. If it weren't for her, we wouldn't have half of this stuff either. It's a miracle that we had what we needed to save her."

"I'd been thinkin' the same damn thing."

"You think…she knew something would happen?"

Daryl sighed. "She thinks ahead. May not've known it'd be her needin' it, but she knew eventually someone would."

"You're probably right."

Before he could respond back, Carol made a groaning noise that startled them both. Daryl didn't know how many pain killers they had on hand, but he was sure they'd be going through a good supply of them in the next few days.

"Go fetch the doc for me, will ya? She's gonna need more drugs if she's gonna get any rest." He brought his hand up to her forehead to wipe away the sweat that was building.

Tyreese nodded. "I'll go get her."

"Before you do…" Daryl looked back at him. "I need to apologize. 'Bout what I said that day-"

"No need." Tyreese shook his head. "We're good."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely." He gestured to Carol. "You just take care of her."

Tyreese left the small room, but the minute he did, everything seemed to come crashing down on Daryl. He lowered his head to the cot and took a deep breath. He still wanted to know why they had been down in the tombs together. None of it made sense. Maybe if he'd brought both of them on the trip, they would still be all right. Whatever had gone on down there, it had been bad. Even though Beth hadn't made it, in reality it still could've been a lot worse. Especially with all the people living here now. If that walker had gotten loose in the main cell, it would've been a goddamn bloodbath.

He suddenly realized that somewhere just down the hall, Hershel and Maggie were having to say goodbye to someone they loved. They were lucky they had each other, but it still wasn't right. That girl hadn't deserved none of this. He'd wanted to punch the wall not moments ago, but suddenly he was too tired to do anything but sit there and hold her hand.

"Don't you die on me woman. You've come too far now to go out like this. You may be hurt, but you ain't checkin' out." He sniffled; his eyes were blurry with tears. "You said some things are worth fighting for. I ain't gonna give up on you, but you gotta fight for me now. Just fight."

She didn't open her eyes, but he saw her turn her head towards him as if to say that she was there. Daryl had never felt so defenseless in his whole life. If he could have traded places with her, he'd have done it in a second. Just as he was about to admit it, he heard someone walk in the door and clear their throat.

"You need a moment?" Dr. Stevens asked quietly.

"No." He gestured her over. "Do what you gotta do…I ain't losin' her."

**A/N: Seeing Daryl emotional is something that I truly love because it gets to the heart of just who this man is. I really hate it when people react to the show by saying that he's getting too soft…this man is smart, brave, loyal, cunning, and sensitive all wrapped up into one package. He has his flaws like anyone, but of all the things I ever hope to find in a man of my own, these are at the core. **

**I actually just joined Twitter not too long ago and have been following Norman Reedus's posts…as different as he is from Daryl in real life, he's also a man of conviction and I've seen how absolutely dedicated he is to his work and his fans. Just today he posted at least a dozen pics of things fans made for him, which is just amazing. He seems to really appreciate what he's got, which is rare these days. I hope that one day I'll be able to actually have a conversation with him and be able to tell him these things, but for now that's just a pipe dream. Either way, he's created one hell of a character:)**

**Oh, and if anyone would like to follow me on Twitter, send me a private message and I'll be happy to send you the deets. I'm still new to it but I'd love to keep you guys updated on what I'm doing! Thanks again!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Good afternoon peeps!**

**Sorry for the delay in the reveal for the next chapter…I ended up with a lovely upper respiratory infection that has totally put me out of commission for half a week. Hacking up lungs and having razor blades in your throat is NOT an experience I can recommend to anyone. Luckily, I have had plenty of time to sit and watch the featurettes and commentaries on season 3 to pass my time. I think I've got the rest of the story worked out now, and surprisingly, it's all in thanks to Danai Gurira. **

**Listening to her talk about Michonne and how she feels about the other characters gave me such a confidence boost in how I've been plotting this out in my head. I was also amazed at how much she and I think alike about the character development and where things may go. If anyone listens to commentary, there's a great moment during "The Suicide King" when the group comes back from Woodbury and Carol realizes that Daryl isn't with them. In the commentary, they actually describe the relationship between Caryl as "two damaged people who actually find themselves in the zombie apocalypse and heal through each other" which is EXACTLY how I have been thinking about this all along…I attempted to squeal when I heard it, but it sounded more like a wounded badger thanks to my horribly strained voice. Daryl probably would've tried to shoot me lol.**

**Anyway, hope you are all out there enjoying your dvd's and relishing in the awesomeness that is TWD. We are soooo close to season 4 now guys…I can almost taste it…and damn is it yummy!**

**Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with The Walking Dead or its characters…but apparently I think like them sometimes!**

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Ch17.

Carol knew she had passed out, but she had no idea how long she'd actually been unconscious. It seemed to take her years to finally be able to open her eyes again because they felt like they were glued shut. When she did, she immediately noticed that she was not in the hallway anymore. She wasn't in her room either. Her body felt heavy, and she was worried she wouldn't even be able to even lift her arm off the bed. Then it dawned on her that it was because her arm was already occupied.

She managed to roll her head to the side slightly so she could look around. Daryl was asleep on the chair next to the cot; his hand laying overtop of hers. He was hunched over so that he was half lying on the bed with her. She saw that she was hooked up to an IV drip, and her midsection was bandaged pretty tightly. The pain she had felt earlier wasn't gone, but it was much duller than it had been. It looked like they'd given her blood too. She swiped her thumb over Daryl's knuckle, and he quickly jerked awake.

"Wh-" His head flew up and directly over in her direction. "Carol?"

"When did you get back?" Her voice sounded awful.

"Couple hours ago." He rubbed his face. "You all right? Need anything?"

"Right now I'm too tired to even think."

"I should go get the doc to check on ya."

She felt his hand loosen hers, but she didn't let go. "Wait…where am I?"

"The infirmary." He leaned back in. "The doc had to go in and fix you up, so you're gonna be real tender for a while."

Carol was confused. "Fix me? I thought it was my ribs."

He shook his head. "Doc had to take your spleen out. We gave ya some pain meds and blood too, but you might need more."

"Who gave me blood?"

"Me and Tyreese did."

It was a lot to wrap her head around, but there was only one thing that was really important to her in that moment. "What happened to Beth?"

"Been wantin' to ask you that." He said quietly. "What the hell were you two doin' down there?"

"It's a long story…" Carol could feel the pain starting to kick in now. "I'm not up to telling it right now, but is she gone?"

"Don't know. Been in here since I got back." He moved back. "Let me go get the doc."

"I'm so sorry Daryl."

He stopped to look down at her. "What you apologizin' for?"

"Everything." She felt a sharp pain when she breathed in. "I never wanted to put you through something like this. I'm sorry. It was my fault."

"Shhh…" He soothed. "It'll be all right. Just rest."

She felt his hand pull away and the room got quiet. For a moment, Carol actually thought that he had left because he was angry, but then she heard more footsteps. The doctor's face came into view just above her.

"Carol? It's Dr. Stevens. I'm going to give you something for the pain."

Before Carol could object, she felt a sharp pinch in the crook of her elbow. Within seconds, the pain was starting to fade, but so was her memory. Daryl's hand clamped back down on hers as he rubbed his thumb back and forth over her palm. As much as she wanted to tell him what had happened, she couldn't find the strength. She only managed to get a few words out before she sank back into the abyss.

"She saved me Daryl…she saved me…"

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Carol had been out for the rest of the night. The doc had decided that she should have another transfusion too. Daryl had given blood plenty of times before. He'd even done it for money sometimes when he was getting low on cash. But this was the first time that he'd ever realized who that blood was saving. As far as he was concerned, the doc could bleed him dry.

When she finally came to late the next day, he was immediately relieved, but she wasn't really out of the woods yet. They hadn't talked for very long the night before because she got too tired to speak, but what she had said had thrown him for a loop. He wasn't sure why it'd surprised him to hear her say that Beth had ended up saving her. Beth was as capable as any of the women in the prison of handling herself. He wished he'd realized it sooner.

Daryl wasn't even sure himself what had happened to Beth's body. She had to have passed on by now, but no one had come to fill him in on the details. He knew Carol would want to go to the funeral but he didn't think she'd be able to get up anytime soon. He should go pay his respects to Maggie and Hershel nonetheless. Everyone had left him alone last night other than the doc, who had to check in on him from time to time. He figured maybe Rick'd asked them to leave him be for a little bit. Plus, Carol wasn't in no shape for visitors.

She'd had some rough times already. When the pain meds wore off, she was writhing in pain pretty bad. Doc got her settled down and she'd fallen back asleep now, but if it weren't for her getting those medical supplies on the run, they wouldn't have been able to do much to help her. Maybe Tyreese had been right.

Maybe she had known something bad was gonna happen.

"Hey..." Rick's voice whispered from the doorway. "Can I come in for a moment?"

Daryl nodded. He was actually glad to see someone else at the moment. Rick walked over to the edge of the bed.

"How's she doing?"

"So far so good." He sighed. "Sorry I ain't filled no one in. I was hooked up to this tube all night. She needed more blood."

"I know more than anyone here what that's like." Rick acknowledged. "I asked for no visitors right now anyway. People are concerned, but they want to respect your wishes just the same."

"Thanks."

"When's the last time you ate?"

"Doc brought me somethin' to tide me over." He gestured to the empty plate in the corner. "What's happening with Beth? They bury her yet?"

"We're working on it. Hershel's having a hard time letting his baby girl go. Maggie's been leaning on Glenn a lot, but I figured they'd let me know when they want to move her."

"And the walkers?"

"Did a sweep of that section last night. Didn't find any more of them, so as far as we can tell it was just a fluke. I think one had gotten stuck in the room across the way and when Beth and Carol went wandering down there, it heard them and somehow managed to get out." Rick shook his head. "I hate to think what could've happened if it had found its way into our block. They really saved us all."

Daryl looked down at her. As angry as he still was that they'd even gone down to the tombs in the first place, he had to admit that he was proud of her. No one else really knew what had happened down there other than Carol, but Daryl suspected that there was a good chance that it was partially his fault.

"Think I'd like to go speak to Hershel if I can. I owe his daughter my gratitude."

"I think he'd probably appreciate that right about now." Rick patted Carol's leg. "I'll stay with her until you come back."

Daryl nodded, getting up and making his way out the door. Rick would make sure that Carol was all right while he was gone, which was good because he really just needed to get out and stretch his legs. Sleeping on that chair hadn't been much fun and now his back was paying the price for it.

He made his way down the hall to where Rick had told him they'd be, but he nearly walked right past the door because there wasn't a drop of sound coming from the room. When he looked in, he saw Hershel sitting next to the cot where Beth was still lying. Daryl was suddenly at a loss for words. What could he possibly say to this man who had just lost one of the only two things he cared most about in the world? Starting to rethink his actions, he turned to go back in the other direction, but his footsteps hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Daryl," Hershel turned towards him; his eyes were bloodshot. He looked like he hadn't slept much either. "I've been wanting to come check on Carol. How is she?"

"Think she's gonna be all right." He said, walking slowly into the room. "She said Beth saved her life. I wanted to come pay my respects."

Hershel nodded, turning back to look at his deceased daughter. They'd cleaned her up a good bit. She wasn't covered in blood anymore, and it looked like they'd gotten her a change of clothes too. Daryl got a lump in his throat at the thought that he might've had to do this for Carol. He imagined it had to be the worst feeling in the world.

"Think it'd get easier." Daryl said, standing over her. "Sayin' goodbye. But it don't."

"At least she went out fighting like she wanted to." Herschel said tearfully. "You know, there was a time when she was scared of everything. A monster under the bed…shadows on the wall. Maggie used to call her 'Scaredy-Beth' and she'd get _so_ mad at her." He sighed. "When her mother turned, she took it hard, but I tried not to let her focus her attention on it. Then after the barn fiasco, when she tried to kill herself…I thought I'd failed her. What kind of father would just pretend that it was all going to be okay in a world like this?"

"You did what you thought was right." Daryl said quietly. "She knew you cared 'bout her. That's more than my old man ever gave me."

"Mine either." He admitted. "I never wanted to be like him, but in a way I felt like I was. Like I'd lost my humanity. But then she recovered, and we left the farm. We found our purpose and didn't look back. I kept forgetting that she wasn't that same scared little girl anymore. She became immune to the monsters of the world. Even fought them back."

"She was one of the bravest women I ever knew." Daryl said sadly. "Used to think that women were just asking for trouble. I'd never seen one who wasn't scared of the man she loved. Started thinkin' that's what love was supposed to be, and it scared the hell outta me." He gestured to Beth's body. "But this girl right here? And Maggie? They're strong. They don't need a man around to save em neither. You taught 'em right Hershel. They were lucky to have ya."

"Thank you Daryl." Hershel looked over at him with tears filling his eyes. "I stand by what I said. You'd make a good father."

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Carol could hear the sound of voices. At first there were two, and then just one, but now it was quiet. By the time she managed to open her eyes, she was surprised to see a blurry figure sitting on the edge of her bed. It took her eyes a minute to adjust before Rick's face came into view. When he saw that she was awake, he got up and walked over to her side.

"Hey there pretty lady." He said sweetly. "You gave us quite a scare."

"Sorry about that…" Carol didn't feel quite as woozy as she had, thank goodness. "Those walkers throw me for a loop sometimes."

"I think we've all been there at one time or another."

"Where's Daryl?"

Rick looked towards the door. "He went to pay his respects to Beth. He'll be back soon."

The acknowledgement of Rick's words hit her like a ton of bricks. In her medicated stupor, she'd momentarily forgotten what had happened. "Herschel and Maggie…they know?"

"Yes."

"So she_ is_ gone?"

Carol didn't even need Rick to respond. She knew that Beth was gone. She'd nearly been gone by the time she got her back to the main block. Her eyes stung at the painful memory.

"Did she turn?"

"No." Rick sighed. "She asked us to…end it before that point."

"Were they with her?"

"Herschel was." He leaned into her a little. "Maggie didn't stay in the room during that part, and I had to pull Carl out beforehand. I didn't want him having to witness that again."

Carol was slightly surprised. "Carl saw her?"

Rick nodded. "He insisted on being able to say goodbye before she passed. I don't know if she heard him or not, but it seemed to help him through the process. I think he felt bad that he didn't want her to come along on the hunting trip."

"He probably blames himself just like I do."

Rick sat on the edge of the cot again. "Do you think you can fill me in on what happened and why you two were down there? We weren't really able to get any details from her."

Carol frowned. Despite her haziness, she hadn't forgotten the gory details. "I didn't want to tell Daryl, but it started when he kissed me in the cell block. Apparently Beth saw it and didn't take it well."

He sighed. "I noticed that she seemed to have a soft spot for Daryl lately."

"She had asked to go along with them on the hunt, but Daryl didn't want to make things awkward for Carl there, so he said no. I guess she was feeling left out and angry, so she took a gun and went down into the tombs to find a walker and prove that she could be tough like the rest of the women in the group."

Rick's eyes widened at this revelation. He obviously wasn't expecting the answer she'd given him, but he managed to remain calm about it. "What then?"

"I found her before she had a chance to do anything stupid, and talked her out of it." Carol winced at the pain in her side when she tried to sit up. "We had started walking back, but realized that she left the gun on the table in the room. We were heading back that way when we noticed a door was open, and then the walker bit her."

"How did you kill it?"

"I found an open room for us to hide in and I pried up a piece of cement."

Rick got up and started pacing the room slowly. He rubbed his hand across the whiskers on his chin, trying to process the news. She'd always admired Rick's ability to stay calm in a moment of panic. She was glad Daryl wasn't here because she knew he would have cursed and thrown something across the room. It was just how he handled his anger.

"She'd been asking me for weeks to take her out," He said, finally. "But Herschel was against it. He thought she'd had enough training and didn't need to go out and risk herself anymore."

Carol felt tears building, both from the pain of the memory and the pain in her side. "If I hadn't made such a big deal about trying to prove myself, maybe she wouldn't have gone down there to try and provoke a monster. It's my fault she thought that was the only way to be brave."

Rick leaned down next to her. "Carol, you can't blame yourself. In a moment of anger, she made a bad decision. The next person who went down there could've just as easily have been the victim instead."

"I know, but I-" She could feel her chest tightening at the memories. "I thought we could save her. If the fever hadn't set in, we could've amputated like with Herschel, and she'd be okay."

"I understand." Rick grasped her hand. "I know you did everything you could. She could have been a lot worse off if it weren't for you."

"If we hadn't left the gun, she'd still be alive."

"You don't know that."

Carol tried desperately to calm herself down. The pain in her side, coupled with the tightness in her chest was making her feel like she might pass out. "I…I just wish that I had done something different."

"If you had, then you might be dead right now too." Rick looked over towards the door frame. "As much as he doesn't want to admit it, Daryl needs you. If you hadn't come back, I'm not sure what he would have done."

As surprising as it was, Carol had spent very little time thinking about Daryl in those tense moments because she'd assumed he would be able to go on with or without her. "It might have been hard on him at first, but he's a survivor. He would have been okay."

"You know he cares about you more than he cares about himself." Rick said genuinely. "He might not say it in so many words, but I can see that he loves you in his own way. He looks at you the way I used to look at Lori."

Carol almost couldn't let the words soak in. "I haven't been looked at that way in a long time."

"Well you deserve it."

Carol wiped away the tears. "Thank you…for being there for him."

He took her hand in his. "You should try to get some more rest now. You need to get your strength back."

Carol was just about to agree when she heard the familiar sound of boots shuffling around outside of the door. Daryl walked in; immediately noticing Rick crouched down holding Carol's hand. She was sure he'd noticed her tears too because he suddenly looked very concerned.

"Everything all right?"

"We were just having a little talk." Rick lifted Carol's hand off the bed and kissed it gently. "You follow doctor's orders. I'll come check on you sometime later when I have more details."

"Yes officer."

He got off the bed and walked towards the door, putting his hand on Daryl's shoulder when he got there. "You take care of her, you hear?"

Daryl nodded, quickly filled his place on the empty chair next to her. It had probably just been moments that he'd been gone, but knowing he was back made her feel safe again. She had tried so hard to prove that she didn't need him or anyone by her side to survive, and although she'd managed to succeed by the skin of her teeth, she realized that she'd missed having someone there. Just knowing that someone cared enough to stand by her suddenly meant the world to her. It filled her heart with hope knowing that her man of honor had truly stepped up, and that she could never deny her feelings for him again.

_I love you Daryl Dixon._

**A/N: I felt that it was very important for Carol to have the realization at the end that she really does love Daryl, even if she hasn't actually said it. Some people write stories and throw "I love you"s all over the place, and while there's nothing wrong with that in some scenarios, I feel like it really needs to be earned in this world with these people. Both of these characters have been used and abused throughout their lifetime, and a true admission of love should be something very rare and special. Carol may have even thought about it before this, but I think this is the moment when she truly realizes just how lucky she is.**

**That being said, just be forewarned that you may not actually hear the words come out of either of their mouths in this story. I don't plan on getting too gushy with the admissions of feelings, but I also promise that you will know where these two stand with each other by the end. I also want to warn everyone that I only have about 7 more chapters planned out before the end. (sniffles) It will be bittersweet for me when it's all over, but I have gotten more love from people on this story that I EVER dreamed I would, and I'm so thankful to all of my readers. I am going to keep writing shorter stories after this, but probably nothing this detailed for a while. I don't know if I have another 6 months to dedicate to one story lol. **

**I have also been trying to catch up on some stories from people following mine, and I want to give a big shout out to ****Allidon ****and tell any Boondock Saints fans to check out her story called "Broken Chains"…it's coming along very nicely, but it's definitely not getting the attention it deserves, and Murphy McManus is a close second to Daryl Dixon as one of my favorite bad-ass characters, so he definitely needs some love. If I find any other diamonds in the rough I'll let you know, but for now…**

**LLACO (Live Long and Caryl On)!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hello geeks! I do not mean that in a derogatory way either. I am very proud to be a geek, and I assume that most of you are as well. If you do not consider yourself a geek…well…you're totally missing out 8-P**

**Thank you for all the well wishes on my health. I am happy to say that the worst of my cold is now over (thank frak) but compiled on top of that this week was some family drama, so it's been longer than I wanted it to be before I could update again. I would like to send shout-outs to my reviewers-Peta2, vickih, AffairWithACrossbow, ****itsi3, BanannaFlvdSnow, and**** LaurenEmilyxx for making me feel much loved for this past chapter…I also got major kudos from newcomer Ferdy 63, who totally made my day by telling me I should write for the show! It made me feel super happy in a time when I needed it most, so thank you for that, and YES PLEASE LET ME GET THAT JOB!**

**So this was definitely a chapter that I have been messing around with for a long time. It never seemed to come out the way I wanted it to, so it's been altered numerous times (my friends Lia and Bethann can attest to this) but now I'm pretty happy with it. Plus, once I post something online and people read it, I can't change it anymore! Good incentive to get it right before I regret my decision!**

**Anyway, that's all for now…LLACO.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead…but I totally should totally write for them. Most. Epic. Job. Ever.**

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Ch18.

The following few days were pretty uneventful for Daryl, mostly because all he did was sit around and wait. Carol was still in an out of consciousness depending on how much pain she was in, and he knew that if he went off to do anything else, he'd just be worried about her.

Rick had told him that they'd been putting off the funeral until she was well enough to attend, but they couldn't wait much longer. As pathetic as it was, Daryl half wished that they'd have just done it by now without Carol knowing, but he knew she'd never forgive him if he let that happen. Truthfully, the memory of having to see the grave that had once been designated for her was doing fucked up things to his head. He'd woken up in a cold sweat multiple times since the accident from nightmares of seeing her rotted corpse crawling out of the dirt to kill him.

She hadn't seen it yet, and part of him hoped she never would.

Trying to get his mind off the image, Daryl looked over to check on the woman sleeping in the cot next to him. The doc would probably be coming to check up on her soon. He'd had lost track of time in this tiny space, but he figured it was probably close to noon time by now. He'd basically set up camp in the room. His plans to find his own space had been put on hold for the moment until he knew when Carol was gonna get out of here. In the meantime, he'd found a spare cot and grabbed some clothes and books he could read while he waited around. He'd just picked up one and was slowly flipping through it when he heard the mattress creak.

"_Of Mice and Men _huh?" She said, looking over at him. "I thought you might like that one."

"I like that it's short." He said, tossing the book aside. "How you feelin'?"

"Not too bad."

"You ain't just sayin' that so I'll stop askin', are ya?"

"Some days I do, but today I mean it." She propped an extra pillow under her head. "You know you really don't have to stay with me all the time."

He shrugged. "What else've I got to do?"

"I know there are plenty of things you'd _rather_ be doing." She fidgeted until she was comfortable. "Sitting around and waiting isn't your strong suit."

"I'm gettin' better at it."

"Well you're probably going to have plenty of practice at it. I don't think I'll be up and dancing anytime soon."

Daryl chuckled. "You dance?"

She threw him a look. "Sometimes…not recently."

"To what?"

"Whatever was on the radio."

He had to admit he was curious. "What kinda music you like?"

She thought back. "All kinds…The Beatles were a favorite…Stones too…"

"So nothing from this side of the pond then?"

"I didn't say that."

"Then keep goin'."

"Uh, I liked Aerosmith…Tom Waits…oh, and Skynyrd of course." She smiled. "My high school sweetheart and I used to make out to _Free Bird_."

He snorted. "Everyone used to make out to that song."

He face drooped slightly. "I guess it's gonna be quiet around here now. Beth was the only one who used to sing for us…I'll miss that."

Dammit. Now he regretted even bringing up the subject. One thing he'd been very careful not to do in front of Carol was talk about things that might upset her. Plus, thought of not hearing the girl's sweet voice again was like a kick to the gut.

"I can sing for ya."

Carol laughed at him. "You? Sing?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"Have you ever sung a day in your life?"

He shrugged. "Now's as good a time as any to start."

She was really laughing now. He might've been insulted by it normally, but right now it was the best sound in the world. It seemed like forever since he'd heard her laugh. Hell it was almost contagious. He was just about to tell her to calm down before she pulled her stitches, but a shadow appeared in front of the door.

"Knock knock."

Daryl wasn't too surprised to see Rick standing there. He'd been coming to check on the both of them every day now. He usually kept it quick so that Carol didn't get too overwhelmed. Sometimes when she was asleep, he and Rick would catch up on things. Daryl had never really had a buddy he could talk to about stuff before, so it was something pretty new to him.

"You're just in time." Carol smiled at him. "Daryl's going to sing for us."

Rick raised an eyebrow. "Really? Do you take requests?"

"Shut up." He spat sarcastically. "I ain't singin' for your sorry ass."

Rick frowned. "Apparently I'm not pretty enough."

"You're pretty to me." She tried to soothe his ego. "Daryl's just jealous."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to wait to hear him regale us with a tune then." Rick said, suddenly looking more serious. "I um…I actually came with some news on Beth's memorial."

The sense of ease Daryl had been feeling quickly high-tailed itself right out again. This was the conversation he'd been dreading for days. Carol's face straightened and gestured for Rick to come over. Rick looked over at Daryl, acknowledging what he already knew. Neither of them thought that she should make the trek down to the field. They'd talked it out the night before, but Rick had told him that he didn't want to get in the middle of anything between them. Daryl knew that talking her out of it wasn't gonna be easy, but he hadn't figured out a way to do it yet either. He was hoping he'd have more time.

"Herschel and Maggie would like to have it tomorrow at sunset. She's in the process of being buried now, so it will be a very short ceremony. Glenn's gonna do most of the speaking and they've asked Sasha to sing one of Beth's favorite songs."

"I think Beth would love that." Carol was smiling, but he knew it was halfhearted. "Please let them know that I will be there, and I will be happy to help in any way that I can."

Rick nodded and walked back towards the door. "I will, but I think it's all taken care of. I'll let you two sort out the rest. Let me know if there's anything you need."

"Thank you Rick."

"Yeah, thanks…" Daryl knew he sounded sarcastic, and that Carol was probably going to pick up on it. One thing he'd learned in their few weeks together was how quickly she could sense what he was feeling. As soon as Rick left, she was on him like a dog on a bone.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothin'."

"I know you're angry." Carol sat up further against the wall. "You always get defensive."

"I ain't defensive." Daryl sniped, knowing it wasn't helping his case. "Just hate funerals."

"Everyone hates funerals." She stated. "If you don't want to go down for the service, I'll understand."

"You shouldn't be goin' down there neither." He said bluntly. "The field's on a hill and it's not easy to maneuver. You could fall and hurt yourself worse."

She looked amused. "This from the man who sprained his ankle putting up a tent?"

"That was different."

"How?"

"Just was."

She sighed. "You know, sometimes I still think that you see me as this weak woman that can't handle being on my own unless you're there to protect me."

He was definitely getting irritated. "Did I say that?"

"No, but it's what you're thinking." She was being serious. "Tell me the truth. What's the real reason you don't want me going down there?"

He hadn't lied about hating funerals, but there was more to it that he wasn't looking forward to confessing. Now that he knew the true story about what had happened down in the tombs, thinking about the outcome just brought up fresh memories of how they'd lost Sophia. Carol had barely grieved for her little girl, and he knew it was only a matter of time before the similarities hit her like a ton of bricks. He knew she'd thought of Beth like her own daughter, so the guilt had to be eating her alive. He felt just as guilty for the part he'd played in the situation. What if she blamed him just as much?

"Just don't see why you wanna go down there and get yourself all worked up again." He said simply. "Ain't gonna do you no good."

She shook her head. "Daryl, she and I went through a lot together down there and I need to say goodbye. I thought you understood that."

"I do." He decided to try and bargain. "But ya don't gotta stand in a pile of dirt to say goodbye. Beth'll be with ya from wherever you are, just like Sophia is."

She sighed. "I know that Beth and Sophia are with me. I trust that they're up there together in heaven, happier than they ever could have been in this world. I'd also like to think that Lori's up there too, watching over both of them for me."

"She is." Daryl reassured. "They're all up there watchin' over us."

Carol smiled and reached for his hand. "I know you're worried about my ability to walk down there in this condition, but I really want to go down for the ceremony. I promise that if it's too much I'll let you bring me back, but can you please try and support my decision to go?"

When he looked into her eyes, he saw how determined she was. For someone who'd just been through hell and back, she was doing a damn good job of looking like she hadn't been affected at all. It didn't make him worry any less though, because he knew the minute she got down there and it all hit her, he was going to have to try and pick up the pieces. He just hoped that he had it in him to do it. His first instinct with women had always been to walk away when things got too hard, and that wasn't the kind of man he wanted to be no more.

"All right. We'll figure somethin' out."

She smiled again, and he was suddenly tempted to lean over and kiss her. They hadn't touched much since the accident other than hand holding. He didn't want to pressure her, but he was really starting to miss the feeling of her lips on his. She looked like she might be thinking the same thing, but before he could find out he heard footsteps at the door.

"Am I interrupting?" Dr. Stevens asked, walking in. "I just wanted to check your vitals."

Daryl's first instinct was to tell her to go to hell, but Carol invited her in. This was about the only time of day that he left her to go take care of things because she had someone else there with her to keep an eye out. Considering where his head had just been, maybe the timing had been perfect after all. He could only imagine the fight she'd start with him if he tried to get fresh in front of another person.

"Y'all right if I go wash up?"

Carol nodded silently, but as he went to get up, her grasp on his hand remained. "Thank you…for always being there for me."

She let go, and Daryl walked slowly out of the small room and down the hall. In a way, he was about to find out just how much he could be there for her. It was a test that no one was ever prepared for, but some rose to the occasion and some didn't. He just hoped that he'd have the strength to let her lean on him when she needed it…and that she'd still want him around after.

**A/N: This chapter ended up being a much simpler version than what I had initially written, but in a way I'm glad for it because the two chapters prior were very emotional, and the next two will be very similar. I just needed a mental vacation for a while because I have a lot of stuff going on myself right now, so the idea of not having to internalize things too much just sounds very appealing to me, haha. **

**As for the music trivia…honestly, it just popped into my head and I thought it was funny. I listen to Pandora a lot when I'm writing, so I just picked a couple classic artists that I figured were probably favorites back when they were younger. I do have a pretty broad knowledge of music (being a child of the 80's, I grew up on MTV and remember a time when they actually PLAYED music videos haha) so I am familiar with all types of stuff, but these were really picked at random. My personal spectrum is very broad. Anyway, hope you all enjoy it. I'm getting more used to being sappy, but I still like the element of fun as well:) Live long and Caryl on!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Hello beautiful followers...to my utter disbelief, I now have close to 100 of you! It is about the coolest feeling in the world to know that people out there are reading my story and reacting to it along with me. I love you guys more than I love piggies (and I SERIOUSLY love piggies)**

**I'm also happy to announce that I have some new TWD fans locally. I've gotten two girls hooked on the show from my school. Last week, my teacher had to leave class early, and one girl popped the DVD into his computer and projected it on the wall so we could all watch…it was seriously epic. My absolute favorite moment EVER was watching their reaction to Herschel's leg being cut off in the season 3 opener…I've never laughed so hard in my life. Can't wait to see their reactions to the Governor/Michonne showdown lol.**

**30 days people! LLACO!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or its affiliates. **

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Ch19.

Carol was alone for the first time in days. It wouldn't have been a bad thing typically, but the acknowledgement that she was in a small, dark room yards away from anyone who could hear her was becoming a little worrisome. Dr. Stevens had left a few minutes before, which meant that Daryl was probably on his way back right now. Carol tried to convince herself that everything would be fine until then, but something inside of her was still uneasy about it. The stillness in the air reminded her of the calm before a storm. She couldn't help but feel that if something were to happen in that moment, it wouldn't end well for her at all.

It wasn't the first time she'd felt this way since the accident, but she'd been keeping it to herself. Usually there was someone else around to take her mind off of it. She was suddenly very grateful that Daryl had been so insistent on sitting with her until she was well again. Unfortunately, he wasn't getting back as quickly as she would've liked him to. Maybe she just needed to get up and walk around a little to calm her nerves. It seemed like a simple enough task, but she hadn't been on her feet in close to a week. Even so, she knew she would need to get up tomorrow in order to go down to the field. Having some practice getting around would definitely be useful right now.

Very slowly, Carol eased her legs over the edge of the cot and pulled herself up to a sitting position. As she bent forward to push herself up, a sharp pain crossed her abdomen and made her gasp out loud. Thank god Daryl hadn't been around to hear it or he would've insisted she stay in the bed. As soon as it subsided, she tried again, this time managing to get all the way up this time while holding the wall for balance. Once she checked that her wound hadn't started bleeding, she slowly trudged her way across the room. As strange as it felt to be back on her feet again, she figured the hardest part was probably behind her.

The clothes she had been wearing during the attack had probably been cut off and discarded, because she couldn't find them anywhere. They had put her in an old dressing gown that someone had found in a cupboard, but it was a little drafty in the back, so she grabbed the sheet from the bed and wrapped it around her like a blanket. Very slowly, she made her way out of the room and down the hall towards the main waiting area. There was a little more light in the hallway than in the rooms, but not much. She eased her way along slowly, hoping that just a few minute on her feet would help to ease her nerves, but just as she got down to the end of the hallway, she saw a shadow coming towards her.

Daryl's boots had a very distinctive sound to them, and this person was practically silent. They were moving fairly slowly as well. Trying to convince herself it was probably just Dr. Stevens coming back down to get something, she moved forward slightly so she could try to get a better view. The shadow was bigger now, and it was carrying something very long and pointed. Last time she checked, Dr. Stevens didn't tend to carry any weapons unless needed. Carol could feel her breathing elevate at the prospect that there might just be someone around the corner that was not supposed to be here. Luckily, before she had to process any danger, a voice called out.

"Carol?"

She nearly fell over in shock as Michonne came walking around the corner; her katana by her side. It was a relief to see her, but also a surprise. Then she noticed that Michonne's arm was bleeding.

"What happened?"

"Knife practice." Michonne rolled her eyes. "I took over until things get settled, but one of the older girls decided it would be more fun to pretend she was Hit Girl and attack me. Great huh?"

Carol sighed. She and Maggie had been handling the knife practice before all of this so that the kids would know how to handle a weapon with respect. Unfortunately, some of the older ones thought that they knew what was best. Michonne was an expert with her sword, so if one of them had managed to injure her, things were probably getting out of control.

"I'm sorry Michonne. We try to teach them better than that."

She shrugged. "Don't worry about it. It's superficial. I'll live."

Carol groaned when pain shot up her side. "I'm not sure I will."

"You all right?"

"Yeah, but I think I need to sit down."

Michonne grabbed a nearby chair and helped her ease down into it. "Why are you out of bed anyway?"

"I just felt restless." She said honestly. "Plus, I need to be able to walk tomorrow so I can go to the funeral."

Michonne looked at her anxiously. "You sure that's a good idea? It takes more than a few days to heal from a wound like that."

"Not you too…" Carol huffed. "I need at least one person to be on my side. Daryl's against it and I know Rick is too even though he won't say it."

Michonne leaned against the counter opposite her. "I'm not saying I'm against it, but if you're in this much pain walking a few feet, think how you'll feel having to walk a few yards."

"It's starting to wane." She breathed a little easier. "I can't stay down here forever. Just sitting alone in there was starting to mess with my head. I felt like I was starting to panic."

"Are you prone to panic attacks?"

Carol sighed. "Sadly yes. I can usually control it, but the small space mixed with the anxiety just got to be too much for me."

Michonne looked pensive. "It's understandable after what you've just been through. I hear you had quite an ordeal down in the tombs before you made it out."

There was a time when Carol would have jumped at the chance to brag about how she handled herself in a battle, but now it just seemed sacrilegious. Her first instinct was to protect Beth's memory. "I don't remember much about it."

"Maybe that's for the best." Michonne said sadly. "Just know that if you decide not to go tomorrow, no one's going to blame you. Herschel and Maggie are both concerned about you getting better and not pushing yourself until you're ready."

"You've talked to them?" Carol was surprised to say the least.

Michonne nodded. "I was there when we buried Beth. They were both worried that you might be going through too much mentally and that their presence might make you feel worse. That's why they haven't come down here."

The admission hit Carol like a ton of bricks. She had thought they had been angry at her for what had happened to Beth, but in reality, they were both concerned for her wellbeing. It was a huge relief.

"I….I can't believe they don't blame me."

"Carol, it was an accident. They know that."

"I just assumed that they'd feel the same way about seeing me." She admitted. "That it would bring up too many bad memories for them."

"It makes sense that you're all feeling bad about what happened." Michonne reasoned. "But in the end, it was Beth's decision to go down there. No one forced her to do that."

"She was trying to prove herself to me." Carol sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I was so wrapped up in my own life that I couldn't see how my actions were affecting hers."

"That doesn't mean that you could've stepped in and changed anything. She was a strong willed girl. There was a good chance she was still going to do it anyway."

"She wasn't always like that." Carol noted. "There was a time when she was ready to kill herself because she couldn't handle the death and destruction in the world. She and I both went through transformations around that time, but I don't think that I was every really able to appreciate that until now."

"We've all been through transformations at some point. No one in this world ever intended doing the things they've had to do to get by, but it's how we go on." Michonne scoffed. "Hell, I haven't always been like this either."

"How were you before?"

"Honestly?" She chuckled. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Carol hated to prod her for more information, but she was genuinely interested. She'd never met another person quite like Michonne, and she knew that were was a lot more to it than she was probably willing to admit. She decided to take another approach.

"When did you first start to notice the change in yourself?"

"After my family died I guess." She said somberly. "I used to work a lot…late hours, weekends…always felt guilty for not being around when they needed me." She paused. "When all this stuff starting going down, I was out of town on a work assignment. As soon as I heard what was happening, I got in my car and drove back. It was a miracle I didn't get myself killed in the process, and it didn't do me any good in the long run either. My town was one of the first to be overrun. By the time I found them…it was too late."

"I'm so sorry."

"The guilt was the worst for me…knowing I should've been there and I wasn't."

Carol shook her head. "If you had been there, you might've ended up dead too."

"I wanted it that way for a long time." Michonne acknowledged. "Every day was a struggle. I just went into survival mode, and eventually I became a recluse. Without anyone else to rely on, I didn't have to think or feel anymore. It made me feel invincible at first, but after a while, I started to lose myself in it too. By the time someone came around worth trusting, I didn't know if I could anymore."

Carol didn't need to ask who she was referring to. "Andrea."

"That woman…" Michonne shook her head. "I was just making my way through the woods when I found her. She had about four walkers on her, trying to fight them off." She sighed. "For a minute, I considered leaving her there to die, but I think something in me was glad to finally find another breathing person. I was still looking for some sign of life out there."

"Andrea saved me before we lost her at the farm." Carol remembered. "We really had no idea she'd made it. I'm glad that if she had to be separated from us, that it was you she found."

"I wish we'd had longer together." Michonne admitted. "It was hard out on the road together, but we were a unit. That all changed the minute _he_ found us…" Her face hardened. "By the time we got to Woodbury, she was pretty bad off…I wasn't in the best shape either, but I knew that we had to get out of there. She just couldn't see it. She wanted so badly to believe that we were safe there…that they were good people…"

"She wasn't the only one who was fooled by his charms." Carol pointed out. "You said so yourself…he's a charismatic man."

"I begged her to come with me, but she chose him instead. That's when I knew that I was on my own again, but by then I had a lot more to worry about too. I had Merle and his crew chasing me through the woods, and then I stumbled onto Maggie and Glenn being taken." Michonne sighed. "As much as we all went through in those first days, I know that meeting this group saved me. I couldn't have kept going on my own like that…not after everything I lost."

As shocked as Carol was by her statement, she knew that she was being sincere. She couldn't prove it, but in a way she thought that maybe Michonne had told her this story in order to make her feel better about her own situation. They'd all be through so much, and the circumstances were always horrible, but in the end they were still human and they still had to rely on each other to get by. The ache in her heart over what had happened to Beth suddenly didn't seem as prominent as it had.

"We should really get that cut cleaned up." She said, figuring that Michonne had probably had enough of sharing. "I think there's some bandages and antibiotic on the other side of the counter."

"I can get them."

"No, I need to do it myself." Carol managed to get out of the chair and walk over without too much pain. "I've worked so hard to give myself the reputation of a warrior, and I don't want anyone to think I'm going soft. Especially you."

Michonne laughed. "As far as I'm concerned, you're a badass through and through."

"Well, thanks."

"Maybe we should get you back to the room though before Daryl comes back."

Carol came back to the counter with the bandages and ointment. "That's probably a good idea. He is going to throw a fit if he knows what I'm up to."

"Sounds like Rick."

Carol finished taping the bandage on her arm. "I know it's none of my business, but…are you and he…"

"We're still figuring that out." She said honestly. "But when I do…you'll be the first to know."

Carol smiled. She missed having women her age to talk to, but something told her that she just might have found an ally in Michonne. She even let her lean on her shoulder as they made their way back down to the room.

"There's one more thing I wanted to ask you."

"Shoot."

"Who exactly is Hit Girl?"

**A/N: I hope everyone approves of my Michonne story…it took me forever to figure out how I wanted to make it happen, but I think it made a decent amount of sense. I had initially had this chapter between Carol and Maggie, but I actually moved that around so that it's a little later. I felt like we needed a fresh perspective for Carol from someone she wouldn't necessarily go to for advice. Michonne sort of intimidates Carol…hell I think she intimidates most of us…but seeing a different side to her is something I've been DYING to do, so I'm glad I was able to put it in. **

**As for the Hit Girl reference…I'd just finished watching "Kick Ass" and I couldn't resist. The older audience of the story won't obviously know who I'm talking about (like my grandmother) but for those of you who do…you're welcome:)**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Happy Almost Autumn Everyone!**

**I personally love this time of year, even though it comes and goes way too soon in my opinion. It's my favorite for three reasons…**

**1. The leaves this time of the year are beautiful**

**2. it's not a gazillion degrees outside**

**3. I can get pumpkin flavored anything. (My personal favorites are pumpkin latte's at Starbucks and pumpkin pie blizzards and Dairy Queen:)**

**Halloween is vastly approaching as well, and I work in a fabric store so I am surrounded by people making costumes already. It's fun to see what people come up with, especially if they're totally random. (those are my favorites) I personally don't tend to dress up, but I enjoy watching others who do. This year I'm too broke to dress up anyway, and the kids who show up at my door will be getting the cheap candy too…oh well, it's better than nothing!**

**But before ANY of that even happens, there's a much more important date on my calendar…you guessed it…WALKING DEAD SEASON 4 PREMIER EPISODE DAY! I can't believe it's almost here! It's felt like a lifetime since I was able to watch my favorite characters in a new episode. I know the old ones by heart now, but it does get a little old some days. Anyway, I've yapped enough as it is. Enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or its affiliates.**

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Ch20

_It's almost time…_

Daryl had gone to look out the closest window to the infirmary to see if he could tell what time of day it was. The sun was starting to descend down towards the hills, casting everything in a bright orange hue. On any other day, he would've been able to appreciate the view for what it was. Right now, it was just a sign of things to come. Things he didn't want to deal with.

He made his way back over to Carol's room, noticing that she was sitting up on her cot like she had been expecting him to come back with the announcement. She was already dressed, thanks in big part to Michonne. Apparently, they had talked the night before while he had been getting them food. When Carol had asked him to go find something suitable for her to wear, he'd immediately panicked. He had no clue what she'd consider suitable, and the idea of sifting through her unmentionables had him turning fifty shades of red. Luckily, women think alike, and Michonne had come to the rescue just in time. She'd even helped Carol get situated while he had excused himself to go check on the progress of the day.

"You sure you're up for this?" He asked, helping her to her feet. "Cause if you ain't, it's okay."

She smiled. "Of the two of us, I don't think I'm the one who's not up for this."

"Told you I don't like funerals."

"I know you don't." She brushed his hair out of his eyes. "But I'm still glad you're coming with me. It would mean a lot to Beth too."

Not knowing what to say, he quietly guided her over to the door so they could head to the main block where Rick was waiting for them. He had surprised Daryl by finding a wheelchair the night before, which they were planning to use to help Carol get down to the field in an easier way. It worked great on the blacktop, but not as well on the grass, so they'd have to help them down from there on foot. Daryl offered to carry her, but he wasn't surprised when she turned him down and decided to walk. They had set up chairs by the grave for them both too so at least they could sit during the ceremony.

Once Carol was situated at her seat, Daryl went back up to help get Herschel and Maggie down. Of the two of them, Herschel seemed to be handling things better, and was probably capable of getting himself down to the field without an escort. Maggie on the other hand, looked like she hadn't slept in days and was about to drop over. He felt sorry for the poor woman. She was obviously having a hard time with the loss. As soon as they got them into their seats, Herschel he leaned over to take Carol's hand and whispered something in her ear. She nodded silently and pulled back, her eyes looking a little misty. Herschel then turned to Maggie on his other side and took her hand as well, pulling both of them closer to him. At first, Daryl thought that he was trying to comfort himself, but then he realized it was actually the opposite.

He didn't need support. He was trying to give it out.

"I think we're gonna start in a minute." Rick said, coming up from behind Daryl when the rest of the Woodbury group had finished trickling down the hill. "Everything over here all right?"

"As much as it can be."

He gestured to Glenn, who walked over took his place by the head of the grave. He was holding Herschel's Bible in one hand, and a piece of paper in the other. "Thanks for coming down everyone. I've uh…I've been asked to speak on the behalf of the family." He cleared his throat. "I um…I didn't know Beth growing up obviously, but over the last few days, Herschel and Maggie have told me some stories from her life, which I'd like to share with everyone." He pulled out the piece of paper. "Elizabeth Margaret Greene was born on a hot summer day, much like this one. Herschel tells me that she came into the world with such a howl that for a moment, he was worried his wife had given birth to a baby wolf cub."

A few people chuckled around them. Daryl didn't exactly think it was polite to laugh at a funeral, but he kept his mouth shut about it.

"Growing up, Beth loved to go horseback riding and chase the chickens around the yard. She also loved being around children, but decided in her early teens that she wanted to be a veterinarian like her father. When people around them started to be effected by the outbreak, she put her plans for college on hold so that she could be there to support her family. Her mother and brother sadly passed away, but Beth was able to overcome her losses and helped welcome my group into her life and her home."

He put the paper away and looked over at Maggie. Daryl couldn't see her face real well, but it looked like she was attempting to smile. "I'd actually like to tell a story of my own about Beth. When my group came onto the farm, I had no idea that I would not only find another group of survivors, but also the love of my life." He chuckled. "Maggie wasn't exactly sure what to make of me at first, but apparently after a talk with Beth, she decided to give me a chance. It's because of Beth that I'm now a part of this family, and I owe her everything for that."

Herschel and Maggie were both wiping at their eyes, but to Daryl's surprise, Carol seemed to be holding up okay. She looked up in that moment, sensing that he was worried about her. It was scary how well she knew him sometimes.

Glenn started to pull out Herschel's bible and opened it to a marked page. As he began to read, Daryl was surprised to recognize the passage. It had been one of Merle's favorites. "'_So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.'_Second Corinthians 5:6-8"

Glenn continued. "While we were on the run, things always looked meek. When we'd get too run down or close to giving up, Beth would sing to lift our spirits. She had a beautiful voice and one of her favorite songs growing up was "Bridge Over Troubled Waters." Glenn stepped over slightly towards the other graves that marked the field. "We have asked Sasha to sing this song in honor of Beth, but also for the other friends we have lost along our journey to this place. We dedicate this to Lori, T-Dog, Oscar, Axel, Merle, and Andrea. May they all rest in peace."

Sasha stepped out of the crowd and turned herself in the direction of where they were seated. Daryl had never heard her sing a note, but from the minute the first note left her mouth, it filled him with awe.

_When you're weary, feelin' small_  
_When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all_  
_I'm on your side, oh, when times get rough, and friends just can't be found_

_Like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down_  
_Like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down_

_When you're down and out, when you're on the street_  
_When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you_  
_I'll take your part, oh when darkness comes, and pain is all around_

_Like a bridge over troubled water, I will ease your mind_  
_Like a bridge over troubled water, I will ease your mind_

_Sail on silver girl, sail on by_  
_Your time has come to shine, all your dreams are on their way_  
_See how they shine, oh, if you need a friend, I'm sailing right behind_

_Like a bridge over troubled water, I will ease your mind_  
_Like a bridge over troubled water, I will ease your mind_

Once Sasha was done, Glenn stepped back out again. Daryl didn't need to look around to know that people were crying now. He could hear it. He tried to look down at Carol, but her head was bent so that he couldn't see her face. He reached down and took her free hand in his to let her know that he was still there.

"Thank you Sasha. That was beautiful." Glenn said, looking just as emotional. "If anyone would like to come up to pay their respects to Beth now, please feel free. The kids in her class have each made cards they have asked to place by the grave at this time. Maggie, Herschel, and I would like to thank everyone for their support."

The kids started lining up one by one to place their notes down by the grave. The sight of it damn near broke Daryl's heart. It was obvious they'd cared about her. Kids always had it the worst in these kinds of situations. Trying to explain why things like this happened was never easy, and they always took it hard. He watched as they slowly started putting their cards down in the dirt and walking away. Carl was the last, and he placed his right in the center of the grave before getting to his feet and walking back over to his father.

The crowd was starting to break up when Daryl felt Carol's hand tighten in his as she attempted to pull herself up out of her seat. He went to help steady her, but was surprised when she signaled for him to let go. He had no idea what she was planning to do.

"If nobody minds," She said, grabbing everyone's attention, including his. "Before we go, I just have something I need to say…"

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

Everyone was starting at her, and with good reason. Carol suddenly felt like she was being propelled back in time to the day she'd had to plead her case to go on the scouting trip. The only difference this time was that Daryl would hopefully support her rather than trying to talk her out of it.

In truth, she wouldn't have had the courage to stand up and say anything if it wasn't for his support through all of this. Herschel had been just as wonderful, giving his approval and holding her hand through the entire ceremony. When he had leaned over to tell her that he could never blame her for what happened, it was all the encouragement she'd needed to stand up and give Beth the tribute she deserved.

"I know that you all have heard about what happened to Beth and I down in the tombs." She said, looking out over the faces standing in front of her. "I just want to say that Beth was one of the most special people I have ever met. Her smile and her enthusiasm were contagious. She cared about everyone in this group so much, and her only thoughts towards the end were making sure that no one else suffered on her behalf." Her voice was starting to waver. "She fought valiantly, and I wouldn't be standing here in front of you today if it wasn't for her sacrifice. I loved her like a daughter and I will cherish her all my life."

Everyone stayed silent as Carol finished speaking. She almost couldn't believe that she'd managed to keep her composure during the whole thing. It had been tough, but every word she had spoken had come directly from her heart. As she turned back to Daryl to signal that she was ready to go, she was surprised to see him nearly in tears as well. He placed his arm around her waist securely and lightly kissed the side of her head.

"You know you're amazing, right?"

She sighed. "All I feel right now is exhausted."

Daryl pushed her forward slightly. "Come on…let's get you back."

They hadn't taken more than two steps forward before Carol felt someone tugging at her arm. When she turned back, Maggie was reaching out to pull her into a fierce hug. It nearly knocked the wind out of her, and Maggie was shaking so hard she was worried they might both topple over.

"Oh Carol…" She said between sobs. "Thank you so much…you have always been like a mother to both of us and I know Beth loved you with all her heart."

Carol felt tears flood her eyes as she pulled back and tried to take in the beautiful girl's face. "You don't know what that means to me Maggie…I love you both so much."

Glenn came over to comfort Maggie as Daryl went to pull her away. Carol was sure he could sense that she was starting to unravel and knew that she needed to get back to the prison. When she went to take a step, her knees started to give out and she could feel herself being pulled down. Just as suddenly, she was being lifted into the air by a pair of strong arms. Daryl had caught her and pulled her to his chest. She hung on with what little strength she had left as they climbed the hill and made their way back into the prison.

"What you just did…" Daryl said as they walked down the hallway alone. "Beth would've been proud of you. You're stronger than you let people believe sometimes."

As badly as Carol wanted to believe it, she didn't feel strong at all. It was taking every ounce of energy she had left not to break down like a baby. Daryl was giving her more credit than he should have been. She felt the need to repent.

"I'm sorry Daryl."

He looked down at her as he walked. "What for?"

"I didn't know everything would just hit me like this."

"I did." He said as he rounded a corner. "S'why I didn't want ya to go. I knew it'd get to ya."

Of course he had. Daryl had expected this all along. How had she actually convinced herself that it would be as simple as saying a few words? Nothing involving grief was simple or easy. It was probably the most complicated emotion there was.

They finally made it back to the room, and Daryl bent down to place her gently back on the bed. She remained sitting up, trying to take in everything that she had just seen and heard. Daryl continued to crouch down next to her, probably trying to read her face.

"Y'all right?"

"I thought I had said all my goodbyes before, but I was wrong."

He looked confused. "What'd ya mean?

"I get it now." she said looking down at him. "The restlessness I've been feeling…it wasn't because I've been stuck in bed. I was trying so hard not to think or feel anything the past week that my mind started to work against me. When I went out to that field today, it hit me that I've been holding onto much more than I realized. Not for Beth, but for the other people that I never stopped to grieve for. Lori and T-Dog and Andrea…I loved them. They were my family, and I never grieved for them."

"We didn't have time." He said simply. "There was too much goin' on back then. Doesn't mean you didn't care."

"I know, but I…" She could feel herself coming unhinged again. "I want so badly to believe in something good again. To know that there's a purpose for all of this."

Daryl stayed silent for a moment, probably not sure exactly what to say. She hadn't meant for him to give her a literal answer, but the longer they went on in this world, the more she began to question her belief in a higher power. Nothing seemed right or fair in a world where innocent people had to die for others to survive. Most days, she could make herself go on knowing that eventually things would get better, but not today.

After another moment of silence, Daryl stood up and nudged her back against the wall so that he could get her to lie back on the cot. To her surprise, instead of going over to his own cot, he sat on the edge of hers, easing himself back until he was lying right next to her. He slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, still making sure not to hurt her injury. Carol managed to curl herself up against him while resting her head against his shoulder. Then, in the midst of it all, he found the words they both so desperately needed to hear.

"Believe in us…we'll get through this. We always do."

The torrent of emotion finally hit her like a tidal wave. She tried desperately to hold back the sob that was creeping its way up her chest, but eventually there was no hope. Her fists balled against the fabric of his shirt as she let all of the pain and hurt from the past year come flooding to the surface. The sobs wracked through her whole body as Daryl held her tightly, rubbing circles on her back and trying to ease her through it. Eventually, she lost track of all space and time, but in the end, it didn't matter. Words were now useless.

There was nothing left to say.

**A/N: I have to give a huge thank you toPeta2for being my guinea pig and helping me work through this chapter. It was a very tough chapter for me to write…maybe harder than anything else I've ever written. Having to dig that deep into those emotions was really rough on me. I pretty much cried my way through writing everything from Carol's POV, but that just tells me that it's where it should be. This is also one of my proudest chapters too. Anyway, thanks Peta2…your notes and comments were very helpful, and I hope I managed to pull it together okay in the end!**

**As for the rest of the story…sadly, there are only about 4 chapters left. I honestly can't believe I'm almost done telling this story! I promise the most emotional stuff is over, but it doesn't meant that there aren't going to be some tense moments coming. Luckily, for those of you who have been waiting patiently, the smutty stuff is coming up soon too. While I don't plan on going into too much graphic detail (cause honestly, if you can't figure out what's supposed to go where, you probably aren't old enough to read this) but I promise it will still get the old blood pumping through your veins nonetheless. Anyway, that's all for now…off to write some more!**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hello again…**

**Sorry for the delay in the next chapter. I found myself with a very unexpected houseguest for a week…my friend took in her cousin's dog while she went on vacation, only to find out that the big dope loathes her cat (personally, so do I). After a night of massive fighting and close calls, I got a teary message on my phone asking if I could take the dog for the rest of the week. **

**I am definitely more of a dog person than a cat person, but this guy is 130lbs and a huge mama's boy. I haven't had a moment to myself in a straight week! I also haven't slept well because he is convinced that the only way that he can rest comfortably is if he is laying on top of me in some way. Even as I write this, his head is lying in my lap. Hopefully I won't bump him and cause him to jump up and whack me in the jaw like he did earlier:-[**

**Anyway, I'll stop bitching now and get back to the story. Hope you guys are still enjoying it. This chapter should at least sound a little closer to normal for our main characters. Just 3 more weeks guys! I am so excited!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead, but I do own some of its merchandise. **

**DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC**

Ch21.

_Please tell me this is a joke…_

Carol was sitting on the infirmary bed; her foot tapping impatiently. It now marked two weeks since the incident in the tombs, and she'd thought that things were finally starting to look up again. Doctor Stevens had taken out her stitches the day before, her bruises were almost completely gone, and she'd been given the okay to leave the infirmary this afternoon. It was the best news she'd heard in half a month, but yet here she sat…still waiting.

_Where could he have gone?_

Daryl had been acting weird all morning. When she'd informed him that she could finally leave and go back to her room, he'd made her promise to stay put until he got back, claiming that he had to help Rick with something and he'd be back shortly. That had been nearly an hour ago. Exactly how long did he expect her to sit there and wait for him?

He hadn't seemed mad when he left. The more Carol thought about it, the more she wondered if he wasn't rethinking their situation. She knew she'd been a little more demanding of him in the last few weeks than normal, but it was only because he insisted that she not get up and overexert herself. She had tried her best to be patient and not overreact to his little idiosyncrasies, but now that she had permission to get up and walk again, all bets were off. There was no way she was going to go back to being a weak, frail damsel who needed him to do everything for her. All the same, she hadn't expected him to just disappear on her either. If he was really serious about this relationship, he was going to have to try and at least compromise with her on some of it. Of course, in order to do any of that, he also had to be present.

_That's it…he gets five more minutes, and then I'm moving the stuff back myself._

Her things were sitting in a pile next to the bed, and although she didn't enjoy the idea of having to lug it all back herself, she would do it if it meant getting herself out of here. She went to reach down to get the blanket off the top and noticed that there was a big dirty boot print in the corner. It was obviously Daryl's, but the blanket hadn't been off the bed since Rick had brought it over to her from her room. Knowing exactly how many times he had actually laid his feet on the bed, there was only one instance that it could have occurred.

The night of the funeral.

He had slept with her just that one night before returning back to his own cot. In that moment had been completely unexpected, and he'd practically had to perch on the edge of the mattress in order to make enough room for her. It had also given Carol another reason to cling to him in a way that she normally wouldn't have. That night had been particularly rough on both of them, and she would be the first to admit that she had become unhinged.

It wasn't the first time he'd seen her like that, but she'd prayed that he wouldn't go running in the opposite direction. To her surprise, his words and simple gestures made all the difference in the world, and he had let her stay in his arms the entire night. The next morning, things had gone back to the way they always had and neither had said much about it since, but it was a night that Carol was sure never to forget. Her knight in shining armor had once again come through. Now, she was starting to wonder if she was ever going to see him again.

His five minutes had come and gone. Figuring that she was truly on her own for the moment, Carol got up from the cot and turned to grab her bag. She was just stepping out the door when she heard the familiar sound of boots coming down the hallway. From their pace, she'd guess that he was running.

_It's about time…_

She was ready for him as his face finally came into view. He was huffing a little, but what truly surprised her was the look on his face as he took in her sight. Most days, Daryl did his best not to look like he was enjoying himself, but the grin plastered on his face made her instantly anxious. He only ever looked like this when he was out in the woods hunting, or when they were messing around. To her knowledge, he hadn't been doing either recently.

"Where have you been?"

He held out a bandana in front of her. "Come on. I have a surprise for ya."

She threw him a look. "You aren't really expecting me to put that on are you?"

He threw the look right back. "Want your surprise or not?"

"Right now you're lucky I'm not trying to strangle you with that thing."

"Just trust me, will ya?" He lifted the bandana so it covered her eyes. "I ever let ya down?"

Of all the things Carol had been expecting today, having him lead her down a long hallway blindfolded really wasn't one of them. "Please tell me you're not taking me back down to the lower level to see if I can fight off another walker." She said, grabbing his arm as he led her further down the hall. "I'm tough, but I'm not sure I'm that good."

"Please woman." He scoffed. "Like I'd let you get anywhere near that place again. We're not even on that side of the prison."

"You're not exactly boosting my confidence here."

"Hush up. We're almost there."

He took her a few more steps forward, then turned her and had her walk further along. Finally he grabbed her shoulders to make her stop.

"You ready?"

"As much as I'll ever be."

The blindfold came off and she looked around. They were in a room all right. There was a double sized mattress on the floor in the corner, a makeshift desk off to the side, and her bag and the things from her room were sitting next to it. She also noticed that Daryl's things had resurfaced mysteriously.

"You made up a room for us?"

"Didn't figure you'd mind." He said boldly. "Just got the rest of your stuff moved in. Rick and I spent some time clearing out this block so we could have more room."

Carol was shocked, but also stumped. Daryl had been with her every day since the accident. "When did you have the time to clear the block?"

"The week I was avoidin' you." He said bashfully. "Had a lot of time on my hands."

"So, you'd actually been planning on this all along?"

"Sorta." He made a face. "We originally cleared it out so that Glenn and Maggie could have a place of their own, but they're down further. I found this spot and claimed it for us."

Carol couldn't believe her eyes, or her ears. Daryl wasn't tired of her at all. He was being as selfless as she'd ever seen him. If she hadn't driven him away during the last three weeks, then they were probably as good as they'd ever be.

"I can't believe you did this."

He looked almost boastful. "You like it?"

"I love it." She leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

"Good, cause gettin' your stuff over here was a bitch." He tossed her things aside and plopped himself down on the mattress. "How many damn books you got?"

"I got most of them from inside the prison." She sat down next to him. "Apparently the inmates used to spend a lot of their time reading."

He guffawed. "I doubt that. Probably hid their stashes in 'em. Or porn."

Carol chuckled. "Well I didn't find either of those things. Guess I didn't look in the right places."

"Merle might've cleaned 'em out before…" Daryl paused, looking unsettled with the image in his head. "Well, just don't go collecting no more. I ain't lugging 'em around if we have to leave."

"If we have to leave, books will be the last thing on my mind." She moved closer. "But I _will_ tell you what's on my mind right now."

Daryl looked intrigued. "Yeah? What's that?"

She crawled forward until she was right in front of him. "Somehow, I think it will be easier if I just show you."

When she crawled into his lap, Daryl got the message loud and clear. It had been weeks since she was allowed to do much of anything, and right now a little fooling around was sounding pretty good. She wasn't surprised that he'd missed it too. While she'd been in the infirmary, he'd barely touched her. Every time she'd asked him for a kiss, he'd made up some excuse about the doctor coming in and seeing them. Now that there was no chance of being interrupted, she planned on taking full advantage of the situation.

Their lips came into contact and she smiled. It had been too long. He was being very gentle, nipping his way along her bottom lip in a deliberately agonizing way. She tried to coax his mouth open wider so she could get him to react a little more enthusiastically, but he wasn't allowing it. Carol groaned in frustration and Daryl pulled away.

"What's wrong? I hurt ya?"

She sighed. "No, but if you don't kiss me properly, I'm going to hurt _you_."

"You threatnin' me?"

"Only if you keep acting like I'm going to fall apart." She brushed his hair out of his eyes. "Daryl, we were in that infirmary for two weeks, and you've barely touched me since the accident. I just want some sense of normalcy back in my life."

"I get it." He almost sounded guilty. "But we got plenty of time. Don't gotta rush."

"I like rushing. It's exciting."

"It can also end up nearly killin' ya."

She tugged on his collar. "Look Dixon, I'm giving you an option. Either kiss me now, or I'm leaving and going back to my old room."

He chuckled. "Ain't much of a threat."

"I won't talk to you for a month."

He blew a raspberry. "Don't think that's humanly possible."

"Wanna find out?" She was getting annoyed. "You are skating on thin ice here bu-"

Before Carol could finish scolding him, his lips made contact with hers. It was a slow, long kiss; the kind that always gave her butterflies. By the time they finally pulled away, his attitude had completely changed.

"You really are gonna be the death of me, ain't ya?"

Carol kissed his jaw. "Maybe, but I promise we'll have a lot of fun in the meantime."

That was all it took. He grabbed her face in his hands as their lips crashed against each other. Their tongues battled as Carol pulled herself further into his lap. He was already aroused from the feel of it. She wove her fingers into his long locks, feeling his grip on her waist tighten as he rolled her off to one side and down onto the mattress. She took the opportunity to slide her tongue across his bottom lip, feeling empowered at the growl he offered her in return.

He was hovering over her now; his hands seemed to be everywhere at once, and yet he still wasn't close enough. Her hands reached up to undo the buttons on his shirt, but was thoroughly disappointed to see that he was wearing a wife beater underneath. His lips were attacking her neck, making heat pool heavily at her center. God she had missed this.

Daryl's face came back up to hers, and they were both breathing heavily. Carol was desperate to bring their bodies into full contact and wrapped her legs around his waist, gasping when she came in contact with his groin. Daryl moaned against her mouth, and it was absolutely the sexiest thing she had ever heard. Carol reached down for the hem of her own shirt, trying desperately to pull it up over her chest. She was surprised when Daryl pulled away from her and tugged the shirt back down.

"What're you doin'?"

She was panting. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

He pushed her arms back down. "You shouldn't lift like that. It could strain your side."

"Okay, then why don't you do it for me?"

"S'not a good idea." Daryl rolled off of her. "We should stop. You've had enough rollin' around for one day."

Carol propped herself up on her elbows. "You're kidding, right?"

"Do I look like I'm kiddin'?"

"Daryl…" She sat up. "You can't keep get me all hot and bothered and then just turn it off like nothing happened."

He grabbed his shirt off the floor and put it back on. "It was your idea. I never said I'd go along with it."

"I think you were just as invested in it as I was. Maybe even more."

"Oh yeah? Who was threatenin' who?" He stated, pacing the floor. "Shouldn'ta even let you have your way. Too soon for all this shit."

She was defiant. "It's not too soon. We both have needs. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I ain't ashamed."

"Then what is it?" Carol got off the mattress and walked over to him. "I'm not letting you leave here until we talk this out. If you're angry with me, then just say so."

"I'm not."

"Then you're angry with yourself, which isn't any better."

"God woman!" He flipped back around to face her. "I told you I ain't got a problem! You just shouldn't be rollin' around all over the damn place when you still got a hole in your side!"

"I know that's not all it is." Carol didn't move away. "Daryl, you do this every time we get close to actually getting physical. I know that something is bothering you, and I'm trying not to blow it all out of proportion. I just wish you'd tell me what's going on."

He'd gone back to facing the wall, but she'd seen his face before he turned away. He looked ashamed and angry, which was not a good combination. Maybe her theories on him having a bad sexual experience weren't as far off the track as she'd first thought. The biggest problem was trying to get him to stop clamming up and work through it. If she didn't, she could kiss any chance of romance goodbye.

"You know sex gets better with time, even if it's not exactly what you want it to be at first."

She could see his shoulders tensing up at her words. Maybe it hadn't come out the way she'd wanted, but she had just hoped he could understand that she didn't have any pre-conceived judgments about what they could have. She'd spent two decades with a man who had made her feel like a failure in the bedroom, not to mention life in general. The idea that she could be with someone who cared about her just as she was meant more than anything, and it was all she had ever hoped for.

After a moment, Daryl turned back around to look at her. The look of shame was gone, but the anger was still very much present. "You wanna know my burdens? You gotta even the playin' field first."

"Anything."

"How many guys you been with?"

Of all the things she'd been expecting, that sure wasn't one of them. It made her mind go blank. "What? Why would you want to know that?"

He looked hurt. "You said anything! Afraid to tell me?"

"No, but I…" She stumbled on her words. "I don't….really know."

"A couple? A lot?"

"I don't-"

"Ed wasn't your first."

"No, he wasn't."

"So how many?"

Carol felt cornered. "It doesn't matter! That was another lifetime ago, and has nothing to do with us right here and now!"

Daryl went back to pacing, his face filled with condescension. She'd never seen him this crazy, and wondered if giving him an answer would even help the situation. Carol didn't have an exact number off the top of her head, but if that was what he needed, she would just have to make something up. Before she had the chance, he spoke.

"Slept around a lot, didn' ya?" He chuckled dryly, still pacing the floor. "I knew it. Knew you were a slut, just like Merle said."

The words punched a hole through her abdomen and knocked the breath out of her. Of all the injuries she'd ever had; this one had cut the cleanest and the deepest. Flashbacks of the life she'd known before came flying back into her memory as her brain tried to take in and process his words. Daryl had done something she hadn't thought was possible to do anymore. He had made her feel as worthless and degraded as Ed had for all those years. It was a feeling she would never forget. It was something she had promised herself she would never have to experience again, especially with him.

Daryl came towards her; sorrow etched on his face at the realization of what he'd just said, but Carol backed away. He knew what kind of damage he'd done, but he couldn't take it back. It was too late. He growled and knocked over a stack of books before storming out of the room.

Carol's back hit the wall; her body sliding down slowly as she watched the door slam shut behind him. The man she loved was gone.

**A/N: This ending took a slightly different turn than I had anticipated, but in the moment of writing it, somehow it just felt right. I'm hoping to have the next part out within the next few days, so I'm gonna go work on it. **

**Only three chapters left guys! Send me some love!**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Hello followers…all 102 of you! EEEEEE! **

**I had high hopes of getting this chapter out quicker than this, so I apologize for that. Had a little family drama that sideswiped my plans, but all is good again. **

**I also get the feeling that I might be in the doghouse with some of you. I was expecting a little backlash about the Daryl incident from the last chapter, but it sounded like some of you are ready to stone him (and possibly me) to death—that was definitely not my intention. No one should hate Daryl. As always, there is a method to my madness:)**

**On a happier note, the show released ****69 official photos**** to rev us up for the premier in two weeks…there's one showing Daryl with his arm around Carol's shoulder, which made me squeal very loudly. We may finally get our wish for some Caryl romance on the show…fingers crossed!**

**Anyway, let's get back to the story before I start getting gushy, lol. This chapter definitely has a lot of emotion behind it, but also a lot of redemption. It was difficult to write, but at the same time very rewarding. Hope you enjoy it! LLACO:)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or its affiliates.**

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Ch22.

Daryl paced the guard tower like a mad man. He had no idea how to undo what he had done. There was no easy fix when came down to it.

He had fucked up big time.

She'd never forgive him for this. Why should she? He'd probably made her feel as pathetic as Ed used to. For someone who spent most of his life feeling the same way, he should've known better. He had no idea what he'd been trying to prove anyway. In fact, he'd probably just made it harder to get out what he had to say.

_You're a bastard just like your daddy. You hurt the people you care about and make them feel worthless._

The voices were back and louder than ever. They buzzed through his head like a swarm of bees; stinging him exactly where they knew it hurt the most. Daryl knew it was what he deserved. Why had he ever listened to Merle in the first place? All it ever did was get him in trouble. This time, it had ruined the only chance he'd had at having something good in his life. Now, he'd be lucky if she ever talked to him again.

_Did you see her face? You fucking destroyed her._

He could still see it in his head. It made him sick to his stomach. How could he have even thought something like that, let alone said it? There was no excuse for it. In that moment, he was no better than the scum she'd been married to. She didn't need this kind of torture. Not from him or from anyone. He had nothing left to offer now that she was better again. If he'd ever needed a reason to jump ship and go off on his own, this was it.

_You wouldn't make it a mile down the road before you regretted it. It'd be better off putting a bullet in your head. _

Daryl screamed and kicked the inside railing. No matter which was he spun it, he couldn't make this right. Why had she even bothered with him? All he did was drag her down to his level and make her feel worthless again. It was a sick joke thinking he could ever have a relationship with a woman. He'd tried to tell her that night he'd brought her up here. He couldn't be what she wanted. Now the cold honest truth was staring him in the face.

She picked the wrong damn guy.

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Time seemed to have stopped the minute Daryl left the room.

The initial shock of it all had hit her the hardest. It had literally knocked her off her feet, but as she regained her senses, something started to feel different. In all of the chaos, she had missed something. Something big.

It wasn't the first time she had been verbally assaulted, but this had been different. It had come from a place of fear. She had heard things like that out of Ed's mouth plenty of times, but he had always done it to tear her down. The words held no power unless she let herself believe they were true. Daryl's words weren't true, but they had still managed to wound her.

Yet despite everything, she felt no need to retaliate. Daryl was probably doing more damage to himself in that moment than she ever could. His face had said it all as he'd realized how much power his words had over her. She wished she had taken the time to listen to what he'd been asking her instead of getting defensive. There had been a hidden message in his accusation, but she hadn't seen it in time. Maybe if she had, she wouldn't be standing alone in a room regretting her choices.

_I need to give him time. _

In truth, they probably both needed some time away from each other. They had been together every day for weeks, and it couldn't have been easy on him having to take care of her all the time. She would never ask him to give up the room, which just meant that she had to get her things out again before he came back. It would be the easiest way to deal with it. She just hoped she could handle moving everything out herself. She started with the easiest thing first; grabbing her duffel bag and headed for the door. Carol was so focused on getting a head start on the trip back that she hadn't noticed someone had come over to the door. She screamed when they nearly collided.

"Oh Maggie." Carol's hand flew up to her chest. "Didn't see you there. Are you okay?"

Maggie looked just as shocked. "I'm fine. Are you all right? I heard shouting."

"I am for now." Carol looked down at the bag. "I'm just trying to move my stuff back to my old room before Daryl gets back."

"What?" She looked confused. "But Daryl just moved all that in there for you."

"I know. It's a long story."

"Carol, are you _sure_ you're all right?"

She shook her head. "I don't want to burden you with my problems Maggie. You have enough on your plate as it is."

Before she could stop her, Maggie grabbed the bag out of Carol's hands. "Look, I know I don't have any right to ask what's going on with you two, but before you go off and start packing up all your stuff again, maybe you should think this through a little bit better."

"I have thought it through." Carol explained. "Daryl and I are just going through something right now and I need to give him some space. It's better for me this way too."

"Have you tried to talk it out?"

"Daryl's not exactly a big talker." She sighed. "That's what led to the yelling."

Maggie walked back into the room, looking around. "If you're really serious about moving out of here, you're going to need some help."

"I would appreciate that." Carol agreed, picking up some books from the floor. "I'd like to do it before he gets back."

"Don't you think he's going to be pretty devastated when he comes back in here and you're gone?"

She sighed. "Maybe, but I don't know what else to do. He's not in a good place to work things out right now."

Maggie looked surprised. "Was it really that bad?"

"In Daryl's eyes, it was."

"I know you don't want to burden me," Maggie noted as they walked down the hall. "But if there's anything I understand, it's stubborn men. I'd be happy to try and shed some light on the situation."

Carol hesitated. She didn't feel comfortable hashing out all the details of her relationship with the young woman, but Maggie was right. She did have insight into the situation that no one else in the group did.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Absolutely."

"Before the accident..." Carol tried to remember the details. "Back when Daryl was avoiding me…didn't he talk to Glenn at one point?"

Maggie nodded. "He did, but I don't know exactly what they talked about. Glenn refused to tell me. Said Daryl made him promise."

"I think I know what they might have talked about." Carol realized suddenly. "Maggie, would you say that in your opinion that Daryl's pretty inexperienced when it comes to women?"

"You'd know that better than I would." She replied honestly. "But I've always thought you were probably his first real girlfriend."

Carol stopped dead in her tracks. Dear god, it all made sense now. How had she not seen it sooner? He hadn't been attacking her with his request into her past. He had been trying to brace himself for what he'd have to live up to. She'd had it all wrong.

"If I tell you something, you have to swear that you will never tell another soul. Not even Glenn. Do you promise?"

Maggie nodded, her face etched with concern. "I promise."

"I think you're right. I am Daryl's first girlfriend." Carol closed her eyes, letting it all sink in. "But I misjudged him. Daryl's lack of experience goes deeper than I thought. In fact…I don't think he has any experience at all."

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Daryl needed help, but he knew he couldn't go back inside the prison. There would be too many questions. There was a good chance the whole damn group knew by now too. He needed to figure out what to do.

Rick would know what to say, but he had to get to him first. Daryl looked around the perimeter, figuring that he'd be out in the yard somewhere. He finally spotted him down in the field with Glenn and Michonne. Getting his attention without tipping off the others wasn't going to be easy, but he had to try. He whistled loudly, which immediately made Rick to look up. Daryl gave him the signal for suspicious activity, telling only him to come up. Glenn and Michonne noticed too, but Rick gestured to them to go over to the other side of the field as he made his way up to the tower. By the time he got there, Daryl was already getting cold feet.

"You spot something?" Rick asked, grabbing a pair of binoculars. "I thought I saw something earlier out in the bru-"

"Don't bother." Daryl stopped him. "It was a hoax. Just needed to get you up here."

Rick put the binoculars down and turned to face him. "Why would you do that?"

"I need your help man. I messed up bad."

"Daryl, what are you talking about?"

"Carol." He sighed. "I blew up at her and I don't know how to fix it."

Rick took in his confession. "All right…so what happened?"

Dammit. It should have seen that question coming up. "It's not important. I just need to know what to say to make her forgive me."

Rick folded his arms. "I can't tell you what to say if I don't know the situation."

"I can't tell ya. It's personal."

Rick chuckled dryly. "Let me get this straight. You need my help but you can't tell me why or how I'm supposed to help you?"

Daryl's voice rumbled; his hands gripped the railing. "This ain't easy on me! I wanna tell ya but I don't know how."

"Do you want me to guess?"

He knew that wasn't going to get them anywhere. It wasn't time to be playing charades when he had a serious issue on his hands. It was time to man up. "Carol and I…we were in the room. Everything was going good and then…" He sighed, trying to find the words. "She wants more. I thought I was ready, but I ain't. I don't know how to handle it. Said somethin' I didn't mean and now I need to take it back."

Rick looked pretty shocked but he didn't chastise him either, which was more than he had been expecting. "Well it sounds to me like you have more than one problem here. What exactly did you say to her?"

"Use your imagination."

His eyes widened. "Must've been pretty bad. Where is she now?"

"Don't know." Daryl said honestly. "I can't do this man. Don't know what the hell I was thinking."

Rick walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Daryl, I know you can handle this. Relationships aren't easy, but you learn as you go. There's always going to be ups and downs, and sometimes it doesn't work out, but you keep trying. It's only when you stop trying that things really start to go bad."

"What if you try and you realize that you can't live up to what she wants?"

Rick threw him a look. "I highly doubt that Carol told you that you weren't living up to her standards. She hasn't had it easy in the past. I think any form of companionship for her would be enough."

"S'not what she deserves." Daryl grumbled. "She should at least get somethin' out of the deal."

"Maybe she already has."

"Like what?" He huffed. "A stupid redneck from the sticks who don't know how to keep his damn mouth shut?"

Rick sighed. "You've stood with her through some of the roughest times of her life. I think she'd follow you to the ends of the earth if you asked her."

Daryl got a lump in his throat. He knew that Rick was right. She would follow him into hell and back if he asked. He didn't deserve that kind of loyalty.

"I need advice. What do I do?"

Rick leaned against the glass. "You apologize from your gut. If you're sincere, she'll know."

"And what about…the rest of it?"

Rick looked over at him. "If you're feeling a little…unpolished with your skills, I'm sure I can give you a few pointers. I had a good teacher in Shane."

Daryl leaned back against the glass too. "I know how it all works. It ain't like I've never done nothin' before. I just…I don't know how to make her feel special. All I end up doing is making her feel like trash."

"Sounds to me like you're overthinking it." He chuckled. "I used to get myself all worked up over trying to figure out what Lori wanted, but in the end, all it ever did was make me crazy. You've gotta just relax and go with the flow. In the end, it all comes down to trust."

Daryl shook his head. "I'll be lucky if she ever lets me touch her again after this."

"I don't know about that." Rick threw him a sly look. "Once I'm done with you, she'll be picking fights with you on purpose."

"Why the hell would she do that?"

Rick laughed. "Lesson number one…there's no greater joy than make-up sex."

**A/N: I'm sure you can all guess where the next chapter is headed**evil laugh****

**As for those of you who might be doubting the fact that it took Carol this long to figure out what was really going on, I happen to know from experience that the most likely scenario is usually the one everyone overlooks. Since the accident, Carol's only focus has been on grieving and trying to heal herself, so it would make sense that she hasn't really had the time to think about what was really bugging him. She is also too good of a person to ever try to make Daryl feel bad about something he said when it came from a place of pain. She knows better than anybody what it's like to have someone force you to do something you don't want to with no say in the matter. **

**As for Daryl, it's no secret that he's been cruel to her in the past (the man called her a stupid bitch days after her daughter disappeared) but it doesn't mean that he doesn't regret it. Daryl knows that what he did was wrong, but he let his anger get the best of him. He's still learning how to control his emotions around people, and even when he says mean things, he always makes it right in the end. As for the pointers he's about to learn…well, I think he probably picked a pretty good teacher;)**

**Otherwise, it's almost time for the final countdown…yes I am humming the song while replaying scenes from Arrested Development in my mind, thank you very much! There are only two chapters left, and I will try to post the next one in a few days, but please be patient. I'm getting a little weepy at the thought of being done with this whole thing, but at the same time I'm also elated at the thought of being able to move on and do some other projects. I am not the greatest multi-tasker when it comes to writing, and find it difficult to work on more than one thing at a time, so I'm definitely ready to get into a new frame of mind. Hopefully you guys will still check out my other work when this is all done, but until then…on with the show!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Happy Friday Everyone!**

**As amazing as it sounds, I actually don't have a whole lot to say for this chapter, except that it's the one you've all been waiting for. I hope I make you all proud! Enjoy the moment and take it in. Twenty-three down…one to go! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead.**

****Warning: This chapter contains scenes of a sexual nature and is not recommended for anyone under 16…heck maybe 18. Whatever…just please use discretion****

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Ch23.

It had taken a while, but she was finally ready to take the rest of her things back to her old cell. Maggie had helped with a large amount of it, but in the end, it felt like something Carol needed to finish on her own. Luckily, she hadn't gotten attached to the larger space yet.

It broke her heart to think of what could have been if they hadn't gotten into the argument. Daryl had given her everything he could handle, but she had been too greedy. It wasn't fair to ask something like that of him when he wasn't ready for it. Sex wasn't everything. It should have been enough just to know that he wanted her in his life. Now, it would mean that she would have to prove herself all over again. She just hoped she had the strength for this test.

_I hope someday we get our chance._

Looking around once more to take it in, Carol turned to pick up the last of her things. She started to head for the door, but stopped dead when she realized that it was being blocked by a body. Daryl stood fixed at the door; sadness and confusion imprinted on his face.

"Goin' somewhere?"

Carol swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm just getting the rest of my things."

"You're leavin'?"

"I'm going back to my old cell for now." She paused, trying to take in his expression. "I thought that's what you'd want."

He stared at her for a moment before coming into the room fully and shutting the door behind him. Carol's stomach dropped out from underneath her. He couldn't possibly want to continue their conversation now. No amount of yelling was going to make this situation easier. He had to see that they both needed time to heal from this.

"There's somethin' I gotta say first." He hesitated; trying to look her in the eye. "If that's all right with you."

She nodded. "Of course."

Daryl looked about as uncomfortable as she felt, but she had to hear him out. His eyes never seemed to quite reach hers, but she knew he was trying. This had to have been difficult for him. It was just as difficult on her having to witness it.

"You don't deserve what I said to ya. Merle used to get to me sometimes, but I never believed it for a minute." He shuffled his boots back and forth on the stone floor. "Truth i,s I was just mad at myself and I took it out on you. I know I messed up, and there ain't no way I can ever make it up to ya. Just hope someday you won't hate me no more, but I can't blame ya if you do."

Carol took in his apology, soaking up his words like a sponge. It wasn't eloquent, but she knew that it had come from his heart. It was better than any apology she'd ever received from Ed.

"I don't hate you Daryl." She said, her voice betraying her emotions. "I hate what this has made us do, but you weren't the only one to blame. I shouldn't have pushed you into something you weren't ready for, and I'm sorry."

Daryl looked up at her with utter shock on his face. He obviously hadn't been expecting to get an apology in return. There was a hint of embarrassment in his features, but he continued to look at her anyway. Something in him was changing. She could see it.

"You gotta know," He walked forward slightly. "I want it…that kinda life with you. I'm just scared you might be disappointed in what I can give ya."

"Daryl..." She was on the brink of tears. "I could never be disappointed in you. What we have may not be conventional, but it's all I've ever hoped for. You still can't see how much you mean to me can you?"

Daryl froze in his spot, his brain trying to process everything. Carol suddenly realized just how much he reminded her of Carl. There was an innocence to him that most people lost by the time their childhood was over, but Daryl still had it. He needed guidance and support, not anger and tears. She stepped forward slowly, closing most of the gap between them. For a moment, he looked like he wanted to run, but he stayed where he was. She raised her hand up and gently brought it up to his face, melting as he leaned into her and closed his eyes.

"I don't want you to go." He whispered.

Carol sighed. "I still think some time apart is the best thing for us right now. It will give us time to really think things through."

He opened his eyes. "Is that what you want?"

"Not really…" She said honestly. "But I don't want you to feel pressured right now. I know what you've been trying to tell me, and I understand that you're not ready yet. At least this way, it won't be so hard on you having me around all the time."

"That's just it." He removed her hand from his face and held it in his. "I am ready. Been tryin' to convince myself I wasn't, but I know I can handle it now. Just need you to be patient with me."

Carol couldn't help but laugh. "I will be so patient you won't know what hit you."

"Promise?"

"Promise." She looked into his deep blue eyes. "You don't have to say it back, but I want you to know…Daryl, I love you."

He held her gaze as he stepped even closer, closing the small gap left between them. She didn't even need to hear the words because it was written all over his face. Her stomach did somersaults and she suddenly felt lightheaded. His mouth descended to within inches of hers; so close and yet just out of reach. She focused her gaze on his lips, waiting desperately to him to make his move. Instead, she saw him forming words. They were the same words that she had heard weeks before…the words that had changed everything.

"I know."

Before she could truly process everything, Daryl swiftly closed the gap between them, taking her breath away. Carol felt her knees start to buckle underneath her and thanked god when his strong arms wrapped around her waist to help keep her upright. There was nothing gentle about this kiss. It was as if he'd been starving in a desert for months, and she was his oasis. Their tongues clashed in a mind-melting way as he continued to savage her lips to the point of bruising them. Her hands dove into his long locks, trying desperately to pull him even closer. In the midst of everything else, Carol had somehow got turned around. She gasped loudly as her back suddenly pressed up against the cold wall.

"You all right?" His lips pulled away in an instant; his face searching hers for signs of pain. "Did I hurt ya?"

"No." She tried not to look too dazed as she reassured him. "It just surprised me. I'm fine, I swear."

His eyebrows creased. "You ain't tryin' to pull the wool over my eyes again are ya?"

She chuckled. "Trust me…I haven't felt this good in years."

It took a moment to really convince him she was being sincere, but eventually she got her way. When he finally resumed his attack, it was much more controlled but still managed to turn her insides to mush. He nibbled his way across her bottom lip before pulling back slightly, guiding her over to the bed. As much as Carol wanted to believe that it was truly happening, she hadn't let her guard down yet. She needed to prove to Daryl that she was serious about this. If he wasn't ready, she would have to pull herself back together quickly.

Daryl's boot hit the edge of the mattress and they almost both went down at the same time, but he managed to maneuver himself so that she didn't fall. He kneeled, pulling her almost into his lap before turning her over so that she was underneath him. He was being very careful to balance his weight so that he didn't hurt her as his lips descended to her neck, licking and nibbling at the sensitive skin. His teeth caught hold of her earlobe and she thought she might explode from the sensation.

"Daryl…are you really sure about this?"

He didn't answer; his lips travelling back down her neck to her collar bone and up again. It was absolute torture, but the best possible kind. Unfortunately, if they were going to continue, she really needed to know.

"Daryl, wait." She pulled away as his lips came back up to hers. "I mean it. Are you sure?"

"I'm tryin' to prove my point here, ain't I?" He said sarcastically. "Why? You wanna stop?"

"No, but I don't want you to feel like you have to go through with this if you're not ready."

He hovered over her for a moment, his face a mask of indecision. She thought maybe she had confused him again, but then suddenly it changed. He looked as determined as ever.

"I wanna show you how I feel."

It was simple and direct, but it was also the sexiest thing that Carol had ever heard. She nodded, trying to convey her approval of his words, but he didn't move. It occurred to her that maybe he what he needed was physical permission. She leaned up and took his hand away from her head, placing it on the hem of her shirt and pulling it up towards her breasts. He followed her lead, dragging the fabric up inch by inch until Carol lifted her arms up so that he could pull it off completely. For a moment she felt self-conscious, realizing that her undergarments probably weren't the most alluring and that she had gotten sweaty while moving her things out of the room, but the look on Daryl's face took away all her doubts. He was staring at her like she was the best present he'd ever received.

She closed her eyes as his hands began to wander over her stomach and chest. His feather light touch was enough to make her think she might melt into a pile of goo right then and there. Suddenly his hands paused, hovering right over where her surgery scar was. He looked like he was afraid to touch it.

"It's okay." She tried to sooth his worries. "I won't break, I promise."

He shook his head. "It's not that."

"What is it?" She looked him straight in the eye. "Tell me."

There was fear in his eyes again, and she felt her breath leave her when he pulled back and sat up on his knees. "You know how I was brought up. My daddy liked to use actions instead of words to keep me in line. I never wanted nobody to see 'em, but I gotta stop thinking like that."

Carol sat up slightly, not sure what he was trying to say. Before she could ask, he began unbuttoning his shirt; his fingers trembling at the thought of revealing his wounds. He peeled it off slowly, and as he turned to lay it aside, she saw them. The scars from another lifetime. The ones he'd been so careful to hide from her and everyone else.

"Oh Daryl…" She sat up, her hands stroking over his spine as gently as she could. She could see whip lines and small round puckered marks that looked like cigarette burns. She was trying desperately to stay strong for him in that moment, but the sight of it brought fresh tears to her eyes. On his right shoulder blade, she saw the remnants of the demons that had haunted his past for so long. He had suffered, but he had also overcome it.

"I have them too." She admitted as he turned back to face her. "You can't see most of them, but they're there. Ed always made sure that he hurt me in ways that wouldn't be seen easily, but the scars never completely go away."

"I'm sorry for what you had to go through." He said softly, his focus coming back to her face. "I woulda killed him with my bare hands if I ever saw him lay a hand on ya."

Carol nodded, wiping away the tears that were threatening to fall. "I know. You've always protected me no matter what. You are the reason I went on living after Sophia died. In this world, you are the one thing that makes sense to me, and whether we go on living or we die tomorrow, it's you and me forever. You're a part of me now and I can't let you go."

Her sentiment had probably been more than he had been expecting, but it wasn't lost in the details. He grasped her face in his hands and kissed her like he'd never expected to kiss her again. It was the most tender moment they had ever shared and it nearly sent her back over the edge. He laid her back down against the mattress, this time crushing himself against her in every way possible. There was no doubt in her mind that he was ready now.

His lips descended to her chest as he undid the clasps of her bra. Carol could feel her heart pounding wildly in her ribs as he removed the garment and nestled himself against her cleavage. His mouth latched onto her breast voraciously, she thought she might expire right then and there. In the fifteen years that she had been married, Ed had never made her feel anything like this. He hadn't even come close.

"Oh god…"

Her back arched off the ground trying to get closer to him. Daryl's pelvis came into sharp contact with hers and she ground against him with a force she didn't know she possessed. He growled in the back of his throat, his breaths coming in short gasps as he tried to regain his senses. This may have been his first time, but he sure wasn't acting like it was.

Carol tried desperately to kick off her boots and finally succeeded. She nearly died when Daryl reached down to undo the buttons on her jeans; lifting her hips up so that he could slide them off easier. She sat up, hoping to be able to do the same for him, but he stopped her.

"Wait." He grabbed her hands as he tried to keep his composure. "I wanna do something for you first. At least…I wanna try."

She knew what he was insinuating, but he looked so determined that she couldn't tell him no. He leaned her back against the pillow and her eyes squeezed shut as he reached down to remove the final article of clothing. His fingers gently caressed her thigh, travelling down until they reached their destination. He very quickly found what he was looking for, and Carol's head rolled back and she gasped loudly as a tidal wave of pleasure coursed through her body. It had been much too long since she'd felt this way. He continued his attack on her sensitive flesh and she felt herself coming unraveled. Her body was responding to him in a way she hadn't thought possible. Her moans seemed to be guiding his direction, and after what seemed like only a few seconds, she hit the brink of ecstasy. Her scream filled the room as she spiraled out of control and she came crashing back down to earth.

"Oh my god…" Carol could barely find breath enough to speak. "I can't believe you ever doubted yourself."

She looked up at him, expecting to see the smug grin that she had always loved, but instead she saw desperation. He was close and she knew it. Snapping herself out of the moment, she reached up to undo his jeans. Once again, he stopped her.

"Daryl, please let me help you."

"I don't…" His face was contorted. "I wanna be with you. Not like that."

"I know." She brought her free hand to his face. "I want that too, but that starts with taking these off. Let me help you."

He released his death grip on her other hand and she slowly pulled down the zipper. She heard him groan loudly as he was finally released and she took in the sight of him. He definitely wasn't far away now. She helped him position himself over her so that they were ready, but he froze up solid as his eyes got wide as saucers.

"Fuck…I don't have protection."

"It's okay." She soothed his fear. "I can't get pregnant anymore."

She rubbed circles on his arm in an attempt to get him to relax, and eventually it worked. He looked more terrified than he ever had, but she did her best to comfort him with her words and gestures. As he finally moved forward, sliding into her as gently as he could, all coherent thoughts left her mind. They both moaned in unison at the contact. It was bliss.

His movements were slow at first, but eventually his body took over and told him what to do. Carol knew that he wouldn't last very long on their first time, but he had already given her more than her share of indulgence. This was about him.

His thrusts came more quickly and she wrapped her legs around him to give him more leverage. Within a moment or two, she could feel him reaching his peak. He yelled out and collapsed on top of her; his face buried in her neck as he tried to pull himself back together. Carol wrapped her arms around him securely, hoping she could give him the support he needed.

"Are you okay?"

He tried to steady his breathing. "Holy fuck…I didn't know _anything_ could be like that."

"That's how you make me feel." She kissed his shoulder. "It was like it was my first time too."

After a moment she let go and he rolled over onto the bed next to her. They were both sweating and out of breath, but nothing had ever been so perfect. He covered them with a blanket and pulled her up against him so that she could lay her head on his chest. As exhausted as she was, she couldn't make herself go to sleep. She never wanted to sleep again if she could have something this amazing in her real life.

"So…how do you feel?"

He chuckled and the sound vibrated through her ears. "Good…but mostly surprised."

"Why surprised?"

"Didn't think I had it in me."

Carol laughed loudly. "Oh ye of little faith. I knew you had it in you."

"Well I'm glad someone did." He kissed the top of her head. "I ain't gonna lie. I got a few pointers."

Carol's eyes got big. "On what exactly?"

"Just some techniques." He grinned. "Can't give away all my secrets."

"Who exactly gave you these pointers?"

He scoffed. "Can't tell ya that. I swore on my honor as a badass."

She smiled. "Well whoever it was, give them my thanks. They're a better teacher than I could _ever_ be."

Daryl stayed quiet for a moment, and she looked up at him. His face was scrunched up like he was contemplating something else.

"Now what are you thinking?"

"You still plannin' to move back to your old room?"

"No, why?"

"Guess I gotta drag all your stuff back in here then don't I?"

Carol gasped. "Oh god, I forgot about that! I'm so sorry Daryl."

"How'd you manage to get it all outta here in the first place?"

"Maggie helped me get most of it." She admitted. "It's my fault so I'll move it all back."

"Don't worry 'bout it. We'll get it back over here eventually." He rolled over so that she was lying against the pillow again and he was hovering over her. He had a devilish look in his eyes. "Right now, you ain't goin' nowhere."

**A/N: WHEW! *fanning self* I think it's safe to say that this is my favorite chapter so far. I hope you all feel the same, and if you do, let me know! I want to hear from as many of you as I can before it's all over. I promise the last chapter will be up soon, but don't let me down on this one!**

**For right now, ****I am off to read the newest chapter from Allidon's story, "Broken Chains". I actually went through withdraw symptoms while she was in the process of moving, so I am one happy camper that it's finally been up dated. If you haven't checked it out yet, please do! **

**Once again, thank you to everyone who has stuck by me for this long. I love you guys:*)**

****BIG HUGS AND KISSES****


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: This is a pretty sad day for me. All of my hard work has paid off, but now it's time to say goodbye. I hope Norman and Melissa would be proud of how I have portrayed their characters. Writing this story has almost been cathartic for me. It made me realize that I have the capacity to handle bigger stories even though I'd convinced myself that I couldn't do it. I want to thank everyone who took the time to give it a chance, and especially my faithful reviewers. This goes out to you- Peta2, Lady Nebula, Dixonrocks, Allidon, BLulcy, peonies01, Ferdy63, BanannaFlvdSnow, vickih, AffairWithACrossbow, itsi3, HGRHfan35, Jasmin Jade XX, Rodgerse, adelicateflower08, ****Agcadx1****,** **Effigy, marybethorama, ,maawwge, Lisab876, Shaniqua Nunyadambidness, Angelica Chibiula, and all the rest- you guys are the wind beneath my wings:*)**

**So, without further ado, I give you the final chapter of my saga. Cue the music!**

**DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC**

Ch24.

(Six months later)

"Do I really have to do this?"

"For the millionth time…yes."

Daryl grumbled. He hated getting dressed up. Well, it wasn't exactly a suit and tie, but he'd had to scrub himself down pretty good to look presentable. He only ever did it on really special occasions. In fact, there was only one other reason that he'd even consider doing it for.

Unfortunately, this wasn't one of those times. He knew he had to go, but Carol had argued with him all last night about making sure he looked presentable, and even though he'd made a big fuss about it, in the end she'd worn him down. When it came down to the little stuff, she always won. It was far beyond what he'd put up with from anyone else.

Only for her.

He'd barely been apart from her since they finally worked out their aggressions. They still had rough moments, but Rick had been right. Make-up sex really _was_ the best damn thing in the world. There was still room for growth, but Daryl knew he was majorly improving in the ways that counted. She'd been more patient with him than anyone else ever had, which just proved her merit. Even now, as he stood grooming himself, he knew that he still owed it to her to do what she asked.

"Come on we're late." She folded her arms as she waited by the door. "I swear, sometimes you're worse than a woman."

"Keep it up and I'm stayin' here." He groused.

"Come on. It won't be a long party."

"Yeah, you say that now."

Carol sighed. "It's her first birthday. You need to be there."

Shit. He knew he couldn't miss Asskicker's first birthday. The fact that they had anything to celebrate after losing Beth was a miracle in itself. The kid had made it one year. He couldn't believe how quickly the time had gone by. He could still remember the first time he'd held her after he'd gotten back from the formula search with Maggie. She was a lot bigger now, and a lot more of a handful, but he still loved it. He and Carol usually took her a couple of times a week to give Rick a break, so in a way she was kinda like his extended family. He'd even been there when she uttered her first word, although Rick and Carol weren't too happy about it.

_It's not like I meant to teach her how to say 'dumbass'. Coulda been a lot worse. _

He'd eventually been forgiven, and promised to watch his mouth around her from then on. By the time her first birthday started approaching, Rick asked them if they'd mind if he threw her a little party to celebrate. To Daryl's surprised, Rick also asked if he could be there as the guest of honor. At the time, Daryl hadn't had a clue what the hell that meant, but Carol explained to him that Rick was asking him to be Judith's unofficial Godfather. He didn't know how the hell he was gonna live up to that kind of pressure, but he couldn't turn him down either. Besides, his one and only duty was to show up and keep the kid happy.

"All right, I'm ready." He huffed sullenly. "This'd better be worth it."

"It will be, and you know it." Carol reached up and kissed his cheek. "Come on. Let's go get Maggie and Glenn."

Daryl followed behind as they made their way further down the hall to the other couple's room. They had definitely bonded more since they were in close proximity to each other. Carol and Maggie spent a lot of time talking about girl things, while he and Glenn discussed hunting tactics. Glenn had even gone out with him a few times and was getting pretty good.

Carol knocked on the door, but it was interrupted by the sounds of shouting. Whatever was going on in there, it didn't sound too good. Glenn answered a moment later, a frown plastered on his face.

"Sorry, it might be a few more minutes. She's having a clothing crisis."

Carol chuckled. "Daryl was having a similar problem."

"Hush up woman." He scowled.

A few seconds later, Maggie came waddling up to the door looking frantic. She had surprised everyone with the announcement of her pregnancy not long after Beth had died, and Daryl was pretty sure that Glenn was the most surprised of them all. She was only about six months along now, but she already looked pretty uncomfortable. Daryl suspected she might be carrying twins, but if she was, they hadn't announced it.

"I'm so sorry guys." She looked like she was closer to tears. "I don't mean to hold anyone up. I just can't find anything that doesn't make me look like a beached whale."

Daryl looked away so he could roll his eyes, but Carol nudged him in the gut.

"Maggie, you're pregnant, not fat." Glenn said, sounding exhausted. "Anything you wear is going to look fine."

"Anything but what I'm wearing now?"

"That's not what I said!"

"Whoa guys." Carol broke up the fight. "Maggie, I think you look beautiful in what you have on. I love the pattern. It's very slimming."

Maggie sighed and made her way out into the hall. "Thank you Carol, I appreciate it." She looked back at Glenn, who was shutting the door behind her. "See, was that so hard?"

Glenn bit his tongue, which was more than Daryl could've done. They let the women take the lead up the hallway, falling back a bit as they yacked their way up to the C block like a bunch of old bitties sitting on their porch swings. Daryl looked over at Glenn, who still looked beaten.

"Couple more months and she'll be back to her ol' self." Daryl tried to encourage.

"I hope so." He sighed, looking over. "You're lucky."

"Why?"

"Carol can't have kids, so you get to be the cool uncle to Carl and Judith. I'd kill for a gig like that right now."

Daryl chuckled quietly. "You won't be saying that when you get to see your kid in a few months. 'Sides, you can still be like an uncle to the other ones."

"They all think you're cooler."

"That's cause I am cooler."

Glenn laughed. "Yeah well, you need to rub some of that coolness off on me. I need to learn how to deal with all these mood swings better."

He smirked. "Jekyll and Hyde huh?"

Glenn gave him a look. "You have _NO_ idea."

CDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCD

It was late spring, and the weather was finally starting to warm up again. Carol had missed being outside during the winter, but at least she'd had Daryl's strong arms to keep her warm during the cold nights.

The last few months with him had felt like a dream, but it didn't meant that reality wasn't always lurking around the corner. They still had regular arguments, but he was usually quick to apologize when he was in the wrong now. He had also been very supportive of her request to continue helping out on supply runs, but usually insisted on coming along to keep an eye on her too. She'd never admit it, but it made her feel better knowing he was close by.

They had come full circle in the relationship as well. Once he had figured out that sex wasn't as scary as he had been making it out to be, things had gotten a lot easier. They were careful testing the waters at first, but eventually found a pretty good pattern. It was the times they could be alone that she cherished most because he was almost like another person. He was still learning what she responded to best, but she always made sure to tell him when he was doing a good job. One thing that she absolutely loved was his attention to detail.

_And boy is he is good with his hands…_

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Daryl asked, cutting through her thoughts.

She smirked, grabbing his hand as they walked out to the courtyard together. "I'll tell you later."

"Is it really a good idea to have this outside?" He said, looking around at the perimeter. "Bunch 'o people standin' around holding food…ain't that tempting fate?"

"The fence is secure." She reminded him. "We checked it last night. Besides, it will only be for a few minutes. I know you're not big on celebrating things, but this means a lot to me."

He didn't answer back, but his face told her that he knew better than to argue. The rest of the group was starting to gather around one of the tables they had set up on the blacktop, and Michonne came out carrying a cake, followed closely by Rick. Carol watched carefully as Rick leaned down to whisper something in her ear before he pulled away. She wasn't sure exactly where they were in the romance department, but Michonne was trying desperately to cover up the smile that was creeping its way across her face.

"Looks like they're working things out." She noted, turning back to Daryl. "For a while there, Michonne was worried that Rick had decided to renounce women. Apparently she got his attention back again."

"She never lost it." Daryl confided. "Rick was having reservations cause of Lori. I told him he was bein' stupid passing up a good thing from guilt over somethin' that wasn't even his fault. Sides, s'not not like he's cheatin' on her."

"I agree, but maybe it was something he had to make right with himself first."

"Maybe, but I'm glad he figured it out."

"Took you a while to figure some stuff out too if I remember correctly." She pointed out, leaning in closer to him. "But it all worked out in the end."

Daryl gave her one of his grins that made butterflies erupt in her stomach. She wanted desperately to kiss him right then and there, but before she could act on it, Carl came walking out holding Judith.

Rick and Lori's beautiful child was the immediate center of attention as she came out for her party. She was wearing a special outfit that Daryl had picked for her on their last run, and her full head of curls were bouncing up and down as she was brought over to the table. It was amazing how much she looked like Lori, and it brought a tear to Carol's eye at the thought of what her mother had to give up in order to allow her to flourish. In the end, however, it had been well worth it.

"You should go help them with her." She gestured over to Daryl as everyone gathered closer together to watch. "That is why you're here."

"I will in a minute." He said, turning back to her with a look in his eye. "I told Rick I'd take guard duty tonight so he could be with his family. I was thinkin' maybe you could come help me out."

Carol was very confused. "Why? You don't need me to help you on guard duty."

"I know, but I'm takin' the guard tower, so we can have some time to ourselves." He grinned mischievously. "Whatdya say? Wanna screw around?"

There was a definite part of her that wanted to scold him, but the other part was starting to think that it might be a very fun evening. "We can talk about it later. For now, you need to go be a good uncle and take care of your goddaughter."

He chuckled, kissing her cheek before he walked over to help Carl out as they got ready to sing to Judith. Carol could only shake her head and laugh at the situation. They really had come a long way.

_You're one hell of a man Daryl Dixon._

THE END!

**A/N: GAAA! I can't believe it's really over! **

**Once again, I owe everything to my followers, and to my reviewers. You guys are the best and you mean the world to me. I promise I will be back with more stories soon, and I hope to talk to many of you again. **

**Keep supporting the fan fiction community and don't forget to worship next Sunday on the holiest of days...sorry God, but you take a backseat to Daryl next week! I plan to worship in a day-long marathon, followed by the consumption of all things edible until the bewitching hour comes around and I can stare at the masterpiece that is Daryl Dixon. I hope you will all join me in celebration, for it is a momentous time in the world of the dead. Even if you can't, just continue to support each other in the pursuit of a wonderful story, and as always-**

**LIVE LONG AND CARYL ON!**


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